Labour’s treatment of Diane Abbott raises questions about Corbyn’s judgment

Last night, Diane Abbott appeared — perhaps for the first time — to have something in common with Philip Hammond. Weeks after Theresa May refused to confirm her Chancellor’s job security post-election, Jeremy Corbyn declined to say Comrade Abbott would be Home Secretary in a Labour government. Given that his comments followed Abbott’s disastrous interview on Sky News, and after she cancelled two scheduled media appearances (apparently due to ill health), many took it to be a sign that Abbott’s time as shadow home secretary was running out.

Today Labour have issued a statement announcing that Corbyn has asked Lyn Brown to stand in for Abbott as Shadow Home Secretary for the period of her ill health. Barry Gardiner has since said that Abbott has been diagnosed with a ‘serious, long-term condition’ — urging her critics to show some humanity:

‘I hope people will simply say “OK, fair dos, if that’s the reason she’s been under par, we should back off”.’

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For Abbott’s part, at no point has she said she is ill – today she issued a tweet saying she is ‘still standing’:

Touched by all the messages of support.