Baroness Shami Chakrabarti has publicly advocated for the reinstatement of Diane Abbott to the Labour Party, which has been contrasted with the party’s recent acceptance of former Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke. This call comes after Abbott’s suspension from the parliamentary Labour Party in April of the previous year, due to comments made about racism against Jewish people. Chakrabarti highlighted the importance of broad-ranging views within Labour, which she reminded is traditionally a “broad church” akin to the Conservative Party.

Natalie Elphicke’s movement to Labour from the Conservative Party, where she had been known for her right-wing views and staunch criticism of earlier Labour policies, has ignited discussions and concerns about the party’s values and criteria for welcoming new members. This situation is further complicated by past controversial remarks made by Elphicke defending her ex-husband Charlie Elphicke, who was convicted of sexual assault in 2020, suggesting his attractiveness to women led to false allegations.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has faced scrutiny for his decision not to comment on these issues directly while welcoming Elphicke to the party, citing her advocacy in housing. This approach has brought up discussions on the consistency and fairness of the party’s membership policies, particularly when compared to other cases like that of Kate Osamor, who faced a longer whip suspension for her comments.

The contrast in the handling of the memberships of Diane Abbott and Natalie Elphicke has prompted some Labour MPs, including former leader Lord Kinnock, to call for clearer boundaries and more discernment in party admissions, stressing the need for transparency and fairness in the Labour Party’s inward-looking processes.