SHADOW Chancellor Rachel Reeves has refused to openly support Diane Abbott.

During her visit to Cheshire, the senior Labour MP shied away when asked if she agreed with the party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, who backed Ms Abbott to stand for them.

Ms Reeves said she would leave such a decision with Labour’s national executive committee.

Speaking to the press outside Kingsmead Primary School in Northwich, Ms Reeves said: “No decision has been made about Diane Abbott.

“Diane is clearly a trailblazer in so many different ways from when she was first elected as an MP in 1987 but those are rightly decisions for Labour’s national executive committee and I’ll let them make those decisions.

“Those aren’t decisions for me, the decision will be made in due course about who our candidates are and of course, we have the highest standards for all of our candidates but Diane has been a trailblazer, somebody who has achieved so much and at the same time come under so much attack over many years.”

Northwich Guardian: Rachel Reeves visited Kingsmead Primary School in Northwich on Thursday (May 30)Rachel Reeves visited Kingsmead Primary School in Northwich on Thursday (May 30) (Image: Newsquest)

The uncertainty over Ms Abbott’s position comes because she had the Labour whip suspended in April 2023 pending an investigation after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice but not racism.

The whip was restored on Tuesday, but Ms Abbott said she was “dismayed” by reports that she could be barred as a candidate.

Ms Reeves response to questions on Thursday (May 30) closely match the response of Labour leader Keir Starmer, who has repeatedly said no decision has yet been taken about whether Ms Abbott will be allowed to defend her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat.

He said: “The situation in relation to Diane Abbott is that no decision has been taken to bar her and you have to remember that she was a trailblazer as an MP, she overcame incredible challenges to achieve what she achieved in her political career.

“She carved out a path for others to come into politics and she did all that whilst also being one of the most abused MPs across all political parties.

“But I’ve always had the aspiration that we will have the best quality candidates as we go into this election.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s deputy leader Ms Rayner has said she 'doesn’t think there’s any reason' why Diane Abbott should not stand and the row over her future was 'not a great look'.

She added: “I don’t know the details of the individual cases but I do know that we put a robust system in place around vetting and dealing with serious allegations that are made in the party.

“We had to do that because when me and Keir took over the party was failing.”