Labour is plunged into election turmoil as veteran MP Diane Abbot threatens to stand AGAINST party and fires up Corbynite allies to accuse Keir Starmer of 'disturbing' left wing 'purge' that blocks th

Sir Keir Starmer and his team are trying to dampen the fires of a major Labour election row today over moves by the party leadership to block veteran MP Diane Abbott and a slew of other leftwingers from standing on July 4. Defiant Dianne Abbot tells her supporters that she will do whatever it takes to stand as an MP for Hackney North Supporters of Diane Abbott arrive at Hackney Town Hall for rally in support of her continuing as MP for Hackney North Close allies Diane Abbott and Jeremy Corbyn have accused Sir Keir of trying to purge the Left of the party MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle said he has been suspended by the party over what he called a 'vexatious and politically motivated complaint' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's election campaign has been overshadowed by a civil war Georgia Gould, the leader of Sir Keir Starmer's local council in Camden, and the daughter of the late Blair adviser Philip Gould, has been made a candidate Josh Simons, the director of the Starmerite Labour Together think tank, has been made the candidate in Makerfield He later denied on Times Radio that there was a 'purge' going on, adding: 'There are many colleagues of mine in the Parliamentary Labour Party who would define themselves as being on the left who are endorsed Labour Party candidates standing in their constituency. IN Josh Simons, director of the Starmerite Labour Together think tank, candidate in Makerfield Luke Akehurst, secretary of Labour First and director of We Believe Israel network, candidate in North Durham Georgia Gould, the leader of Camden Council and daughter of late Blair adviser Philip Gould, candidate in Queen's Park and Maida Vale Ms Abbott, Britain's first black female MP, said she was 'shocked and alarmed' about her ban, adding: 'It is as if you are not allowed to be a Labour MP unless you are prepared to repeat everything the leader says.' Faiza Shaheen, Labour's candidate for Chingford & Woodford Green in northeast London, told Newsnight that the party was pulling her candidacy for allegedly liking a series of Tweets that downplayed antisemitism accusations Labour leader Keir Starmer and Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting attend a campaign event at Three Counties Medical School yesterday Diane Abbott has warned that she 'will not be intimidated' as she vowed to stay on as the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington for 'as long as it is possible' Shadow Health secretary Wes Streeting, who accompanied Sir Keir on the election train in the West Midlands on Wednesday, said he was not comfortable with the way the veteran MP was treated. Diane Abbott broke cover yesterday as Labour struggles to contain a row about her being blocked from standing as a candidate at the election Ms Abbott said she was 'dismayed' at suggestions she will not be able to stand as a Labour candidate Sir Keir Starmer faced fury from Labour's left-wing after it was earlier revealed the race row probe ended months ago Ms Abbott recently 'liked' a social media post by Mr Corbyn's wife Laura Alvarez praising his decision to stand against Labour in his Islington North constituency Ms Abbott issued a public apology to 'wholly and unreservedly withdraw my remarks and disassociate myself from them' in April last year 'At a time when all our energy should be focussed on throwing the Tories out, this process looks nakedly factional.