for liverpool, a slower start. they fell behind to ac milan in arne slot�*s first match in europe as coach. but his team would rise to it. ibrahima konate and then virgil van dijk, the two centre—backs with goals to set liverpool on course. a 3—1victory meant for both premier league clubs, this first night was emphatic. joe lynskey, bbc news. time for a look at the weather, here's chris fawkes. this programme continues on bbc one.

one of labour's most high profile left—wing politicians criticises keir starmer for treating her, in her words, as a "non—person" and accuses him of trying to get rid of her from the party. welcome to newsnight, live each night with insight and interviews. earlier, sir ed davey gave his leader's address to the liberal democrat conference. insight this evening from the woman who led the party before him, jo swinson. welcome to you.

and labour peer lord falconer is here too, as is nick. hello. hello. welcome back from briahton. our main interview tonight is with one of the country's most well—known politicians, labour mp diane abbott. in an exclusive bbc interview, she tells newsnight she felt that keir starmer treated her as a "non—person" in the aftermath of comments from a conservative donor that ms abbott needed "to be shot." those remarks, by the way, she says actually made her feel in danger. and she estimates that through her working life as an mp, she's received "tens of thousands of death and rape threats." first she gives her assessment of how she thinks labour's doing in government two months in. we're doing some positive things, but i'm a bit worried about the cutting of the winter fuel allowance. and one of the things that's difficult about it, i think particularly for newer colleagues, people don't vote labour only for a few weeks later. people, you know, the labour party take money off pensioners.

and i only hope that this is kind of an aberration and we aren't going to see further cuts in welfare, because that would be very difficult for us as mps and extraordinarily painful for people that voted for us. and you know what the prime minister says and what the chancellor says, they say, they claim they've discovered this £22 billion black hole. your facial expression looks sceptical about that. you're smiling. but that's why they say they're doing it. and they have said they had no choice but to cut this payment to pensioners. well, first of all, my view is that everything you needed to know about the state of the finances was in the public domain, and the rest of it could be guessed at. and this idea they had no choice... politics is about choosing, and there were other ways to raise that money. and raising it by taking the money off pensioners is, i don't think, not very good.

you didn't support the government in the vote to stop them cutting winter fuel payments for all but the poorest of pensioners. you abstained. why didn't you vote against it? i was a labour mp the last time we were in government. and there's always been an idea that you shouldn't vote against your government with the tories, particularly when, you know, the tories don't believe a word of what they're saying. and so i think, i think it was that i felt a bit uncomfortable doing that. but i've got no doubt that there are going to be issues coming up where i will again find myself in opposition to my government. do you fear being suspended again, or...? no, no, no, no, no. i mean, they took it away from me once. it's up to them if they want to do it again. no. i'm not fussed about that. in terms of the budget, the prime minister said those with the broadest shoulders will bear the heaviest burden. does that not reassure you?

yeah. well, the thing is, he's turned down the idea of a wealth tax, and that would be a way of making the broadest shoulders bear the problem. so we'lljust have to see. in your autobiography, you describe yourself as having been, quote, "a public punchbag for racist abuse for most of your working life." when you heard what conservative donor frank hester had said about you, and i'm going to quote his words, "it's like trying not to be racist, but you see diane abbott on the television and you just want to hate all black women because she is there. and i don't hate all black women, but i think she should be shot. diane abbott needs to be shot." how did that make you feel? it made me feel frightened, actually. obviously we get a lot of abuse online, but one of the reasons it made me frightened is two mps have been killed in recent years.

and you see, that sort of thing winds up a certain sort of nutcase and it makes you more vulnerable. so as a direct result of those comments, you felt in danger? yes, i did, and obviously as a result of those comments, we got even more threatening correspondence and emails and so on. it took 2a hours or so before the spokesman for the prime minister would describe the comments as actually racist. mr hester himself said in a statement that he'd apologised to you. he described his comments as rude, but nothing to do with gender nor the colour of your skin. well, first of all, he didn't apologise to me directly. and second of all, it was extraordinary that it took so long for the prime minister to acknowledge they were racist comments. even other black tory mps

kind of stopped me and said of course they were racist. frank hester said he tried to ring you. yeah, well, i think he did try and ring me in the end, but i had nothing to say to him. how can you say somebody should be shot and then think you can ring up and say, "oh, i didn't mean it"? so you didn't take his call? no, i didn't take his call. when these comments emerged, you were sitting as an independent mp, having been suspended over alleged anti—semitic comments. alleged anti—semitic comments in a letter you wrote to the observer newspaper. did you get any support from keir starmer or the labour party as these comments from hester were being reported? hardly any support at all. i remember the comments were in a broadsheet newspaper online on monday and so people read them. we didn't get any support at that point.

the next morning, a colleague, anneliese dodds, was on another television station and the presenter said to her, "have you reached out to diane abbott?" and she just kind of squirmed and said, "well, i've been in a meeting all morning." we did get, i think, messages from starmer�*s office and from anneliese dodds that afternoon, but they didn't reach out to us in any meaningful way. how do you think you were treated by keir starmer and the labour party at that time? i think initially i was treated as a non—person, which felt very strange, because one, at the same time, they were writing to party members trying to raise money on the back of how hester had treated me without mentioning me, which was a bit odd. and when you say non—person, i mean, what do you mean by that? well, you'd feel that if somebody was threatening to have you shot,

you would have felt that your party would have offered you more support, giving you advice on safety and security, even kind of commiserated with you. and none of that happened. and are you saying that the leader, keir starmer, treated you as a non—person? as i recall, keir starmer treated me as a non—person, and i got more support from the leader of the snp, stephen flynn, than i got from the leader of my own party. and when you mention stephen flynn, you're talking about the day in pmqs when many people stood up and talked about hester�*s comments and you stood up dozens and dozens of times to try and get a word in. you weren't called. and at the end, stephen flynn came over to talk to you, and then keir starmer did. what did he say to you? well, the press gallery could see stephen flynn coming up and talking to me quite genuinely.

and so i think he felt he had to do it as well. he said, "what can i do for you, diane?" so i said, "you can restore the whip." and then he said again, "what can i do for you?" and i said, "you can restore the whip." and then he went off. i mean, that prime minister's questions was extraordinary. i mean, i've never seen a prime minister's questions where somebody is the topic of most of the discussion and they're not called to speak. and how did that make you feel on that day? while everyone's talking about you, you're desperately trying to have your voice heard, and you weren't called. i was upset by that, because i hadn't said anything publicly about hester since the beginning of the week, because i wanted to save my thoughts for prime minister's questions. and when i wasn't called, that was very upsetting.

i want to read the letter, or some of the letter, that you wrote to the observer, which was in response to a column that had suggested that irish, jewish and traveller people all sufferfrom racism. you wrote, "they undoubtedly experience prejudice. this is similar to racism, and the two words are often used as if they are interchangeable. it is true that many types of white people with points of difference, such as redheads, can experience this prejudice, but they are not all their lives subject to racism." what did you mean? well, let me first say it was very poorly worded and i apologised within hours. what i was trying to talk about was race—based discrimination, because if you walk down the street, nobody can tell whether you're irish or anything else. but if i walk down the street or my son walks down the street, people know

straight away that he's black. after it was published, there was a backlash against what you'd written. within hours, as you say, you apologised unreservedly. you withdrew your remarks. but the letter was seen as essentially denying anti—jewish racism. you know the history ofjewish people. you've fought against racism all your life. do you accept that it was denying anti—jewish racism? no, not at all. i mean, i represent a constituency which historically had one of the largestjewish communities in the country, and we're still, i think, the seventh largestjewish community. not at all. but as somebody who's experienced racism yourself, people were asking, how could you say that? how could you say that aboutjewish people? well, it wasn't denying anti—jewish racism. and i think a lot of people did understand the point i was trying to make. do you want to take this

opportunity to apologise again? well, i did apologise at the time, but i have no problem in apologising again. it was never my intention to cause offence. at the time, keir starmer described your comments, your letter, as anti—semitic. for the record, are you anti—semitic? no. you know, as i say, i represent a kind of classic centre ofjewish residents. as i say, one of the biggestjewish communities still in the country. and if i was anti—semitic, my tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of jewish constituents would have spotted it after 37 years. you were suspended by the labour party. an investigation was begun into you. what was that like? well, the investigation was very strange. the letter was, i think, 250 words, and it took them eight months to investigate it. i wasn't called for interview. all that happened was i filled

in a form, and then we waited eight months to get any type of resolution. so no—one spoke to you directly? no—one asked you what you'd meant? nobody spoke to me directly. as i say, i wasn't called for interview. nobody spoke to me directly. nobody asked me what i meant by the letter. ijust filled in a form online and i did go and do some anti—racism training, which was fine. i don't think i'm a racist, but i was fine to do the training. but it was quite extraordinary that nobody ever spoke to me and that it went on so long. so what do you think was going on? i think that keir starmer wanted to finish his clear—out of the left in the parliamentary labour party, and by writing a very ill—advised letter, i gave them the opportunity to move against me. and i think what they were trying to do was to string out and

string out the investigation. so when a general election was around the corner, they could just move me out of the way as a labour candidate because i wouldn't be in the parliamentary labour party, and parachute in someone else. right. so to string out the investigation and the suspension. so when it comes to the selection process, you're suspended, so you can't be a candidate. yeah. exactly. right. how low did you get during this period? well, i did get very low, not least because i thought this was all preparatory to getting rid of me as an altogether as an mp. were you... would you say you were depressed? yes, i was depressed because it felt very unfair, as i say. and other people had had their cases resolved much more quickly. hezbollah and at one point keir starmer was saying the investigation

was going on when i knew the investigation had been completed. in fact, in may, newsnight revealed that the investigation into you had been completed last december, although publicly the impression given by the party was that it was still going on. you'd already been informed you'd brought the party into disrepute. you were given a formal warning, required to complete an online anti—semitism course, which you did, and then nothing happened. so it was a kind of limbo. it was, i was in limbo, but with a very strong suspicion that they were keeping me in limbo with a view to getting rid of me. and they had done that to other people, strung out their barring from the parliamentary labour party and then got rid of them. why would they want to get rid of you? because i'm one of the last

leading left wingers in the parliamentary labour party. and keir starmer is always saying, what's the new labour party? it's new, you know. and how could you make it look more new than by getting rid of diane abbott? were you ever offered any kind of deal? indirectly, they offered me a deal through a third party, but i wasn't prepared to do a deal. it seemed to me that he wanted to get rid of me, i wasn't going to make it easy for them. they were going to go ahead and have to do it. and what was offered to you? well, as i say, it was through a third party. can you tell us who that was? no, i can't. it would be unfair on her, but i think the idea was that they would restore the whip. 0k. but literally, they would restore the whip in the morning, and then i would stand down in the afternoon. not the next day, not the next week, but in the afternoon. and i felt that that was designed to humiliate me. and people in my local party said it would look like a deal. and furthermore, people would think

that you had sold the party because everyone knew at that point that the party would just parachute somebody in and the local party wouldn't have a chance to choose. was there ever an offer of a seat in the lords if you agreed to that first bit of the deal? well, nobody, um, said that to anybody, but there was this sense. the problem is, you should never say never, but i've never wanted to go to the lords. really, it doesn't appeal to me. but was that specifically broached or not? it wasn't specifically broached with me. but as i say, the third party who was doing the negotiation, there was an idea that, you know, i could go to the lords. throughout your whole working life, you have received masses and masses of racist and violent abuse.

how would you describe the impact that that has had on you and continues to have on you? it's been very difficult. i mean, in recent years, i don't read some of that stuff, even though we get thousands of racist abuse through online, in twitter, in facebook. but in recent years, i don't read it. my staff read it because if i read it all, i would get very upset and very disheartened. how many rape and death threats do you estimate that you've had? i think we certainly have hundreds a month, if not more. and it was strange that on the day that i was re—elected for the tenth time, we had a man in court for sending me death threats. so if it's hundreds a month, every month over many years... i mean, what's that?

50,000? 100,000? tens of thousands. you were the first black girl in your primary school. the first black girl in your secondary school. when you became a counsellor, security initially refused to let woman be a counsellor?" you in the building because "how could a black woman be a counsellor?" as a black woman, you say that you were seen as an electoral liability by some. as you mentioned, the first and only black woman elected to parliament in 1987 out of 650 mps. where does your resilience come from? well, you have to keep going forward because i know that there are people coming after me who, if i don't tough it out, then it will be difficult for them. i've always felt a responsibility to a younger generation. and also, as i say, you know, being ajamaican migrant in the 50s wasn't easy. so i've always felt i have to show the same resilience that

that generation showed. and in britain in 2024, do you believe black women are held to a different standard? i believe that if you're a black woman in the public eye, you are not allowed to make mistakes. this may be your last term as an mp. is that fair? maybe. yeah. and when your political career comes to an end, whenever that may be, what would you like people to say about you? i'd like them to say that "she tried" because that's all you can do. just that "she tried"? yeah, i tried. diane abbott, thank you very much for talking to newsnight. and diane abbott's book a woman like me is published by viking this thursday. the full interview with diane abbott is available on iplayer now, with loads of extra stuff about the riots this summer

and about herjamaican heritgage. search for diane abbot: political survivor on iplayer. what is the labour party response to some of her claims? they have said that keir starmer has great respect for diane abbott who is an inspiration to many. regarding her comments toward the end of the interview, the party said there is no doubt she has received the most abuse of any mp because of her gender and colour of her skin, which is completely reprehensible and wrong. but only criticism that diane abbott voiced earlier in the interview, the labour party said it is wrong to suggest any plan was being pushed by the leadership to force her out. as i understand it's the labour party doesn't want to get into a row with diane abbott but they want to generally push back on they want to generally push back on the idea they were involved in pushing her out. they said that underjeremy corbyn�*s leadership, the leadership was involved in these things but this changed under keir

starmer. diane abbott strongly disputes that. she says that keir starmer may not have been technically involved but the process was overseen by the national executive committee and guess who controls that, keir starmer. lard controls that, keir starmer. lord falconer. — controls that, keir starmer. lord falconer, how _ controls that, keir starmer. lord falconer, how has _ controls that, keir starmer. lord falconer, how has diane - controls that, keir starmer. lord falconer, how has diane abbott been treated by the leadership? she falconer, how has diane abbott been treated by the leadership?— treated by the leadership? she has been treated _ treated by the leadership? she has been treated like _ treated by the leadership? she has been treated like every _ treated by the leadership? she has been treated like every other - treated by the leadership? she has. been treated like every other person in the _ been treated like every other person in the labour leadership as far as the allegations of racism are concerned. many say that the process takes _ concerned. many say that the process takes too _ concerned. many say that the process takes too long. i don't think she was singled out in that respect. it is obvious, — was singled out in that respect. it is obvious, and i agree with what the labour— is obvious, and i agree with what the labour party said, diane has suffered — the labour party said, diane has suffered more than practically any mp in_ suffered more than practically any mp in relation to racism and misogyny. a very telling remark she made _ misogyny. a very telling remark she made towards the end of your interview— made towards the end of your interview when she said she is held to a higher— interview when she said she is held to a higher standard. lots of white male _ to a higher standard. lots of white male labour mps to a higher standard. lots of white male labour mp5 get their figures mixed _ male labour mp5 get their figures mixed up— male labour mp5 get their figures mixed up on the telly or the radio and everybody remembers diane

because — and everybody remembers diane because it is a misogynistic, racist view— because it is a misogynistic, racist view that— because it is a misogynistic, racist view that is— because it is a misogynistic, racist view that is taken of her. you because it is a misogynistic, racist view that is taken of her.- view that is taken of her. you are talkin: view that is taken of her. you are talking about _ view that is taken of her. you are talking about her _ view that is taken of her. you are talking about her interview- view that is taken of her. you are talking about her interview with l talking about her interview with nick ferrari on lbc? i talking about her interview with nick ferrari on lbc?— nick ferrari on lbc? i can't remember- _ nick ferrari on lbc? i can't remember. it _ nick ferrari on lbc? i can't remember. it was, - nick ferrari on lbc? i can't remember. it was, and - nick ferrari on lbc? i can't| remember. it was, and she nick ferrari on lbc? i can't - remember. it was, and she was nick ferrari on lbc? i can't _ remember. it was, and she was asked how many more _ remember. it was, and she was asked how many more police _ remember. it was, and she was asked how many more police officers - remember. it was, and she was asked how many more police officers wouldl how many more police officers would pass and she didn't know the figures. she was vilified for that. completely, which is an indication of misogyny and racism. she spoke very movingly during the interview about— very movingly during the interview about the — very movingly during the interview about the absolute appalling treatment she has had for literally years— treatment she has had for literally years as _ treatment she has had for literally years as an— treatment she has had for literally years as an mp. she's a important mp. years as an mp. she's a important mp~ she— years as an mp. she's a important mp. she wants to be remembered because _ mp. she wants to be remembered because she tried but she should be remembered because she was a trailblazer. no, idon't remembered because she was a trailblazer. no, i don't believe the labour— trailblazer. no, i don't believe the labour party sought to push around. there _ labour party sought to push around. there was— labour party sought to push around. there was a — labour party sought to push around. there was a pause, i don't know if you remember, between the election bein- you remember, between the election being called and it being clear what was going _ being called and it being clear what was going to happen to diane abbott as a candidate which was resolved, i

think. _ as a candidate which was resolved, i think. may— as a candidate which was resolved, i think, may be after a week, may be less, _ think, may be after a week, may be less. in— think, may be after a week, may be less. in which— think, may be after a week, may be less, in which the deputy leader and the labour— less, in which the deputy leader and the labour indicated there was no impediment to her standing and that's— impediment to her standing and that's what happened at the end of the day~ _ that's what happened at the end of the day~ i— that's what happened at the end of the day. i can understand why she may feel— the day. i can understand why she may feel that she was the victim of persecution but i do believe she was _ persecution but i do believe she was. ~ ., persecution but i do believe she was. . ., ., ~ ., was. what do you think of keir starmer's _ was. what do you think of keir starmer's approach _ was. what do you think of keir starmer's approach to - was. what do you think of keir starmer's approach to diane . was. what do you think of keir- starmer's approach to diane abbott as described by diane abbott? itruieiiiii as described by diane abbott? well i think that was _ as described by diane abbott? well i think that was a _ as described by diane abbott? well i think that was a very _ as described by diane abbott? well i think that was a very powerful and dignified _ think that was a very powerful and dignified interview— think that was a very powerful and dignified interview that _ think that was a very powerful and dignified interview that diane - think that was a very powerful andl dignified interview that diane gave. the experience _ dignified interview that diane gave. the experience that _ dignified interview that diane gave. the experience that she _ dignified interview that diane gave. the experience that she has - dignified interview that diane gave. the experience that she has had, . dignified interview that diane gave. . the experience that she has had, and the mark— the experience that she has had, and the mark she's— the experience that she has had, and the mark she's made. _ the experience that she has had, and the mark she's made. she _ the experience that she has had, and the mark she's made. she spoke - the experience that she has had, and i the mark she's made. she spoke about wanting _ the mark she's made. she spoke about wanting to _ the mark she's made. she spoke about wanting to make — the mark she's made. she spoke about wanting to make it more _ the mark she's made. she spoke about wanting to make it more possible - the mark she's made. she spoke about wanting to make it more possible for. wanting to make it more possible for the next _ wanting to make it more possible for the next generation _ wanting to make it more possible for the next generation and _ wanting to make it more possible for the next generation and she - the next generation and she absolutely— the next generation and she absolutely has _ the next generation and she absolutely has but - the next generation and she absolutely has but what - the next generation and she absolutely has but what she| the next generation and she - absolutely has but what she has had to carry. _ absolutely has but what she has had to carry. what — absolutely has but what she has had to carry, what she _ absolutely has but what she has had to carry, what she has _ absolutely has but what she has had to carry, what she has had - absolutely has but what she has had to carry, what she has had to - to carry, what she has had to endurem _ to carry, what she has had to endurem it— to carry, what she has had to endure... it is— to carry, what she has had to endure... it is superhuman, i to carry, what she has had to - endure... it is superhuman, really, in terms _ endure... it is superhuman, really, in terms of— endure... it is superhuman, really, in terms of what _ endure... it is superhuman, really, in terms of what she's _ endure... it is superhuman, really, in terms of what she's done. - endure... it is superhuman, really, in terms of what she's done. i - endure... it is superhuman, really, | in terms of what she's done. i don't think— in terms of what she's done. i don't think the _ in terms of what she's done. i don't think the labour— in terms of what she's done. i don't think the labour leadership - in terms of what she's done. i don't think the labour leadership dealt i think the labour leadership dealt with it _ think the labour leadership dealt with it weii~ _ think the labour leadership dealt with it well. the _ think the labour leadership dealt with it well. the length— think the labour leadership dealt with it well. the length of- think the labour leadership dealt with it well. the length of delay. | think the labour leadership dealt i with it well. the length of delay. i know _ with it well. the length of delay. i know these — with it well. the length of delay. i

know these processes _ with it well. the length of delay. i know these processes take - with it well. the length of delay. i know these processes take time. i with it well. the length of delay. i| know these processes take time. i think— know these processes take time. i think what— know these processes take time. i think what she _ know these processes take time. i think what she was _ know these processes take time. i think what she was describing - know these processes take time. i think what she was describing wasj think what she was describing was the lack— think what she was describing was the lack of— think what she was describing was the lack of reaching _ think what she was describing was the lack of reaching out, - think what she was describing was the lack of reaching out, the - think what she was describing was the lack of reaching out, the lack. the lack of reaching out, the lack of a kind — the lack of reaching out, the lack of a kind word _ the lack of reaching out, the lack of a kind word and _ the lack of reaching out, the lack of a kind word and compassion, i of a kind word and compassion, especially— of a kind word and compassion, especially when _ of a kind word and compassion, especially when she _ of a kind word and compassion, especially when she was - of a kind word and compassion, especially when she was faced i of a kind word and compassion, . especially when she was faced with those _ especially when she was faced with those appalling _ especially when she was faced with those appalling comments - especially when she was faced with those appalling comments by- especially when she was faced with those appalling comments by the l especially when she was faced with i those appalling comments by the tory donor, _ those appalling comments by the tory donor, frank— those appalling comments by the tory donor, frank hester. _ those appalling comments by the tory donor, frank hester. that _ those appalling comments by the tory donor, frank hester. that fear- those appalling comments by the tory donor, frank hester. that fear is - donor, frank hester. that fear is real, _ donor, frank hester. that fear is real, right? _ donor, frank hester. that fear is real, right? i_ donor, frank hester. that fear is real, right? i mean, _ donor, frank hester. that fear is real, right? i mean, sadly, - donor, frank hester. that fear is real, right? i mean, sadly, too. donor, frank hester. that fear is - real, right? i mean, sadly, too many people— real, right? i mean, sadly, too many peopie have — real, right? i mean, sadly, too many people have experienced _ real, right? i mean, sadly, too many people have experienced it— real, right? i mean, sadly, too many people have experienced it in- people have experienced it in politics _ people have experienced it in politics. diane _ people have experienced it in politics. diane abbott - people have experienced it in politics. diane abbott has - politics. diane abbott has experienced _ politics. diane abbott has experienced it— politics. diane abbott has experienced it more - politics. diane abbott has experienced it more thanl politics. diane abbott has - experienced it more than almost anybody. — experienced it more than almost anybody. probably— experienced it more than almost anybody, probably more - experienced it more than almost anybody, probably more than . experienced it more than almost - anybody, probably more than anybody. in a anybody, probably more than anybody. in a sense _ anybody, probably more than anybody. in a sense it _ anybody, probably more than anybody. in a sense it sometimes— anybody, probably more than anybody. in a sense it sometimes doesn't- anybody, probably more than anybody. in a sense it sometimes doesn't need i in a sense it sometimes doesn't need to be _ in a sense it sometimes doesn't need to be more _ in a sense it sometimes doesn't need to be more than— in a sense it sometimes doesn't need to be more than reaching _ in a sense it sometimes doesn't need to be more than reaching out - in a sense it sometimes doesn't need to be more than reaching out and - to be more than reaching out and expressing — to be more than reaching out and expressing compassion— to be more than reaching out and expressing compassion of- to be more than reaching out and expressing compassion of what . to be more than reaching out and i expressing compassion of what the person— expressing compassion of what the person is— expressing compassion of what the person is going _ expressing compassion of what the person is going through— expressing compassion of what the person is going through and - expressing compassion of what the i person is going through and because of the _ person is going through and because of the breakdown _ person is going through and because of the breakdown and _ person is going through and because of the breakdown and factionalism . person is going through and because j of the breakdown and factionalism in the labour— of the breakdown and factionalism in the labour party, _ of the breakdown and factionalism in the labour party, those _ of the breakdown and factionalism in the labour party, those were - of the breakdown and factionalism in the labour party, those were human| the labour party, those were human responses _ the labour party, those were human responses that — the labour party, those were human responses that she _ the labour party, those were human responses that she would _ the labour party, those were human responses that she would normally. responses that she would normally have, _ responses that she would normally have, seemingly— responses that she would normally have, seemingly those _ responses that she would normally have, seemingly those channels i responses that she would normally. have, seemingly those channels were not there _ have, seemingly those channels were not there to _ have, seemingly those channels were not there to have _ have, seemingly those channels were not there to have that _ have, seemingly those channels were not there to have that kind _ have, seemingly those channels were not there to have that kind of- not there to have that kind of outreach _ not there to have that kind of outreach and _ not there to have that kind of outreach and that _ not there to have that kind of. outreach and that compassion. not there to have that kind of outreach and that compassion. what's the feelin: outreach and that compassion. what's the feeling in — outreach and that compassion. what's the feeling in the _ outreach and that compassion. what's the feeling in the wider _ outreach and that compassion. what's the feeling in the wider labour - the feeling in the wider labour party? you told us what the leadership think but in the wider party, what are they saying? interestingly, talking to labour people who are not on the left, not

on the diane abbott side of the party, people well disposed to keir starmer, they don't share charlie falconer�*s view. they believe that the leadership ran down the clock on diane abbott, that she was given the 0k diane abbott, that she was given the ok but she didn't know in december and they ran down the clock hoping that the election would happen and if you don't have the whip, the nec controls the selection of candidates and presto, she isn't a candidate. it blew up in the labour leadership two face when you had your exclusive. i spoke to a person well disposed to keir starmer, former minister, who said the handling was ham—fisted, crude, arrogant, a bit childish. diane abbott was happy to stand down with dignity but she took umbrage at that behaviour. people saying they think they are real problems with how keir starmer is handling the wider labour party. talking about how tony blair, the father of new labour, understood the left and had a very good relationship with the father of the campaign group on the left, dennis

skinner, sitting on the nec. tony blair used to see dennis skinner a lot. clare short, in the cabinet, and robin cook. they were titans on the left of the party. what these former ministers are saying is, where are the likes of clare short and robin cook in this cabinet? they say it is a very narrow centre of power under keir starmer. lard power under keir starmer. lord filkin, you _ power under keir starmer. lord filkin, you said _ power under keir starmer. lord filkin, you said you _ power under keir starmer. lord filkin, you said you don't - power under keir starmer. lord filkin, you said you don't believe she has been differently treated to others. , ' , ., others. very differently treated elsewhere- _ others. very differently treated elsewhere. but _ others. very differently treated elsewhere. but in _ others. very differently treated elsewhere. but in terms - others. very differently treated elsewhere. but in terms of - others. very differently treated elsewhere. but in terms of the | elsewhere. but in terms of the anti-semitism _ elsewhere. but in terms of the anti-semitism allegations. - elsewhere. but in terms of the i anti-semitism allegations. what anti—semitism allegations. what about steve reed, who apologised in 2020 after calling a conservative donor a puppet master. he wasn't suspended or investigated. a spokesman for keir starmer said that steve deleted his tweet and didn't mean to cause offence. a, steve deleted his tweet and didn't mean to cause offence.— mean to cause offence. a puppet master seems _ mean to cause offence. a puppet master seems to _ mean to cause offence. a puppet master seems to be _ mean to cause offence. a puppet master seems to be in _ mean to cause offence. a puppet master seems to be in a - mean to cause offence. a puppet master seems to be in a rather i master seems to be in a rather different— master seems to be in a rather different category from what was said in—

different category from what was said in relation to the letter that you read — said in relation to the letter that you read that diane had sent to the observer— you read that diane had sent to the observer which said that people who come _ observer which said that people who come i_ observer which said that people who come i think it was saying that travellers, irish people and jewish peopie _ travellers, irish people and jewish people didn't suffer racism, they suffered — people didn't suffer racism, they suffered what i think she described as prejudice. that seems to be a different— as prejudice. that seems to be a different kind of allegation to saying — different kind of allegation to saying that somebody is a puppet master~ _ saying that somebody is a puppet master~ i— saying that somebody is a puppet master. i don't know the circumstances of what steve reed said~ _ circumstances of what steve reed said. �* , ., ., circumstances of what steve reed said. �*, ., ., , �* ., said. it's a trait, isn't it, a anti-jewish _ said. it's a trait, isn't it, a anti-jewish trial _ said. it's a trait, isn't it, a anti-jewish trial about - said. it's a trait, isn't it, a anti-jewish trial about a l said. it's a trait, isn't it, a - anti-jewish trial about a donor stop anti—jewish trial about a donor stop i didn't know the context. —— anti—jewish trope. so ed davey was addressing the conference today, were you there? i addressing the conference today, were you there?— addressing the conference today, were ou there? ., . , , . were you there? i watched the speech and it was excellent. _ were you there? i watched the speech and it was excellent. you _ were you there? i watched the speech and it was excellent. you would - were you there? i watched the speech and it was excellent. you would say i and it was excellent. you would say that as a former— and it was excellent. you would say that as a former leader _ and it was excellent. you would say that as a former leader of _ and it was excellent. you would say that as a former leader of the - that as a former leader of the labour party. it that as a former leader of the labour party-— that as a former leader of the labour party. it was truly “oyful, who could i labour party. it was truly “oyful, who could watch * labour party. it was truly “oyful, who could watch ed h labour party. it was truly joyful, who could watch ed davey - labour party. it was truly joyful, who could watch ed davey and l labour party. it was truly joyful, l who could watch ed davey and the labour party. it was truly joyful, - who could watch ed davey and the mpc

singing _ who could watch ed davey and the mpc singing sweat— who could watch ed davey and the mpc singing sweet caroline _ who could watch ed davey and the mpc singing sweet caroline and _ who could watch ed davey and the mpc singing sweet caroline and not - who could watch ed davey and the mpc singing sweet caroline and not have i singing sweet caroline and not have their hearts —