in whatever capacity to stand for her seat, surrounded by many of her supporters. she has been seen by many as a trailblazer, the first black female mp. we are joined by our political correspondent. this news has dominated the headlines in many ways over recent days but it is now confirmed diane abbott is free to go forward as a labour candidate. sir keir starmer in the last few minutes saying in his view diane abbott is free to go forward as a labour candidate, he says the final decision will be made by the nec which he sets on. the labour leader clearly expressing his view. he has a majority on that committee, that diane abbott should be free to stand as a labour candidate if she wants to. we have not heard from diane abbott yet although she spoke at that rally saying she wanted to carry on as a labour mp. i think we can expect that to be the case. a row which has dominated headlines for days. we heard from keir starmer earlier today where he said, he stuck to his line no decision had been taken, and it was a matter for that committee. a few hours later he has decided to say his view is diane abbott is free to go forward as a labour candidate, that news breaking in the last few minutes. senior labour sources confirming diane abbott will be the candidate and the nec will not block her. she had had a lot of support in her own seat, but also angela rayner, the deputy leader, voicing her support. the deputy leader, voicing her su ort. �* . the deputy leader, voicing her su--ort. �* ., the deputy leader, voicing her su--ort. �* . support. angela rayner saying esterda support. angela rayner saying yesterday in — support. angela rayner saying yesterday in her _ support. angela rayner saying yesterday in her view - support. angela rayner saying yesterday in her view there - support. angela rayner saying | yesterday in her view there was support. angela rayner saying - yesterday in her view there was no reason diane abbott could not stand as a labour candidate. interestingly, this morning, sir keir starmer, that was put to him director —— directly but he did not take an opportunity to say that this morning, but he has said so if you hours later. there has been a desire within labour to move on from this debate, this row. there has been growing discontent from some on the left of the party notjust growing discontent from some on the left of the party not just at this situation with diane abbott but what they perceive as a cull of left—wing candidates. there is a wider discontent among people on the left of the party about their treatment and diane abbott was the figurehead. that trailblazing mp, the first black female mp, and mp for decades. we saw a number of figures praising her record. her political allies, and those not from the same wing of the labour party, praising her record, her long—standing career. remembering the abuse she suffered over that time. the breaking news that sir keir starmer saying in his view diane abbott is free now to go forward and stand as a labour mp. the first black woman to be elected to parliament, a former close ally ofjeremy corbyn. angela rayner came out yesterday, does that look as though that was top of the labour party preparing the ground? otherwise it will be —— it would be ill disciplined. do we know whether that was to a degree planned ahead of today's announcement? we do not know whether it was planned. this morning, keir starmer had an opportunity to agree with angela rayner, his deputy, about those comments come in her view there was no reason diane abbott could not stand. he had that opportunity. it seems more likely since those comments, he was in the west of scotland this morning announcing labour's policy on great british energy. he had an opportunity to agree this morning but chose not to, he stuck to his formula no decision had yet been taken. if you hours later coming out to say in his view diane abbott is now free to stand as a labour mp. it seems like there has been a debate on going at the top of the labour party as to what they should do. we had from one labour minister this morning in many ways preparing the ground for another outcome saying labour wants to look to the future. that diane abbott had been a trailblazer in the past. not making a decision or giving his view. interesting that shift in language throughout their day culminating in this news that sir keir starmer is a saying in his view diane abbott is free to stand as a labour candidate. this is a story that has dominated labour events, making policy announcements, dominating the election campaign in the last few days. keir starmer obviously keen to put an end to that, giving his view that diane abbott is free to stand. he does it say the final decision will be made by the nec. but the nec will be made by the nec. but the nec will not block that. diane abbott we can expect will stand as a labour mp in the general election. the conservatives had criticised sir keir starmer saying he couldn't make a decision about diane abbott, then how could he deal with vladimir putin, a line we saw various ministers coming outwith. does it signal the leadership team around keir starmer still have something to learn about handling potentially difficult decisions? there will be questions political opponents will ask the labour leadership about why if sir keir starmer had this view he was not able to say that yesterday or even this morning. political opponents may well ask those questions. there was a gradual realisation at every event and every policy announcement that they made, media interviews, we heard this morning and this afternoon, any time a labour politician was asked about it over the next few days, the nec meeting wasn't happening until tuesday. there was a realisation perhaps unless they wanted to carry on being asked about it until tuesday, the labour leader needed to make clear his view before then otherwise this row was going to roll on for the next few days. keir starmer trying to bring that debate to an end giving his view. diane abbott is someone who has been known to the public for many years. she appeared on the bbc as a political guest. more importantly she was seen as an iconic figure given her status as the first black labour female mp. given her status as the first black labourfemale mp. she given her status as the first black labour female mp. she was given her status as the first black labourfemale mp. she was in given her status as the first black labour female mp. she was in the headlines relatively recently because the police investigated a top tory donor about comments he had made about diane abbott. it is known she has suffered a lot of racial abuse throughout her career. that is right, that is undisputed whether you are a political opponent or ally. across the political spectrum, undisputed she has faced a lot of abuse, the first black female mp, and many party figures have been at describing her as a trailblazer, praising her record. as you say, an acknowledgement of all she has done. there was an acknowledgement even fallon recently she has been critical of the labour leadership, posting on social media on sir keir starmer�*s agenda and approach. not an uncomplicated decision. she has not been afraid even recently to express her opposition, her concern at keir starmer. remember a close ally ofjeremy corbyn and one other key messages we have heard from labour in this campaign is keir starmer arguing labour has changed from that era whenjeremy corbyn was running the labour party. there was some debate i think by their diane abbott, perhaps because of her close alliance but also remember the reason why she was suspended was because of that letter she wrote to a newspaper a year ago where she said jewish people and travellers do not experience the same level of racism that black people face, comments which she quickly apologised for but had the whip removed. the whip was restored this week. and now i suppose this debate culminating in keir starmer saying he thinks she is now free to stand as a labour mp. the labour leader trying to draw a line under this and avoid further headlines for the next few days. we will bring you a clip of keir starmer at tpm where he has said diane abbott is free to go forward as a labour candidate. that is it from me. first, let us get the weather. hello there. we are moving into a spell of much—needed drier weather. some sunshine around into the weekend. and high pressure is getting a bit closer to our shores settling things down. butjust around the edges of the high we have had a stronger northerly wind affecting some eastern parts of england. that has brought with it a lot of cloud, even a bit of rain as well. and pegged back the temperatures especially lincolnshire, east anglia and the south east of england. but further west and north where we are seeing some sunshine and cloud, temperatures are higher at 19 or 20 degrees. there is some more cloud coming into northern scotland which still could produce one or two spots of rain. the rain in the south east and east anglia it will move away quickly this evening. we will still keep some cloud for eastern areas. with clearer skies out towards the west. things will be a little chilly where we have the clearer skies, down to six or seven degrees first thing in the morning. heading into the weekend, a lot of dry weather around on saturday. there is more cloud coming into north east england which will push down into the midlands. it could just give one or two light showers. otherwise more sunshine, and a drier, warmer day in the south east and east anglia and lincolnshire. and more sunshine to come to scotland and northern ireland. temperatures reaching 20 degrees in the central belt of scotland. and a warmer 19 degrees in london and the south east of england. the area of high pressure is centred more towards the atlantic and that is allowing around the top of it more cloud to come in and a change of fortunes perhaps for sunday. we are seeing cloudier skies in northern ireland and scotland, maybe a little rain in the north west, that cloud comes into the far north of england. sunny spells in the south. with lighter winds in the south east, here it is going to be warmest of all, temperatures reaching a very pleasant 22 or 23 degrees. still quite warm for north east england and eastern scotland. in the north west where we have more cloud, temperatures are going to be a little bit lower. that cloud will push its way southwards overnight into monday. together with the front which is very weak. so again, little or no rain on it but we are seeing more cloud pushing southwards. sunnier skies following towards the north where temperatures will reach 17 or 18 degrees. even with more cloud in southern areas, temperatures could reach 20 degrees. the area of high pressure, though, that is getting squeezed away out into the atlantic, which is allowing north—westerly winds. stronger winds on tuesday. polar maritime air. even a touch of wintriness over the scottish mountains. whereas it is still 21 degrees in southern england. live from london, this is bbc news. in the last few minutes, the labour leader keir starmer has said diane abbott is free to go forward as the labour candidate in the general election. and donald trump is convicted of falsifying business records in a historic trial that he and his legal team say he will appeal and we will be live for you there in new york. bowel cancer patients will still have access to a bespoke vaccine as part of a trial. —— soon have. two huge stories will bejuggling over the next few —— soon have. two huge stories will be juggling over the next few hours, will be live in new york where we are expecting to hear from donald trump but first let us turn to that breaking news in the election campaign because in the last beat minutes, the labour leader, sir keir starmer has said diane abbott is free to go forward as his party's candidate as the mp for hackney north and stoke newington and he had previously said it was up to the executive committee of the party to decide whether she could run and the timeline for that was set to be tuesday but we have seen days of pressure on the labour party and the leader about the future of diane abbott, because of course the party whip was restored to her bed then of course all those leaks and a really confusing situation with diane abbott coming out herself and seeing she had been told she was barred from standing and then again and again, every reporter that are spoken to senior members of the labour party has been asking the question, is labour barring diane abbott? who has of course been an mp for 37 years, a trailblazer as all those mps acknowledge and then of course accusations that not only was she being blocked but she made the point that the left of the party in her view was being blocked from the party. let's go straight to westminster where harry farley is across this story and it is breaking and has happened in the last few minutes. tell us more. fascinating development. _ minutes. tell us more. fascinating development, matthew, _ minutes. tell us more. fascinating development, matthew, keir- minutes. tell us more. fascinating i development, matthew, keir starmer in the last few minutes making clear his view at the diane abbott is clear to stand as a labour mp and he did say the final decision was up to labour's national executive committee but we should be clear that keir starmer has a majority on that keir starmer has a majority on that committee and a labour source making clear that the nec will not lock that so we should expect diane abbott to stand in this election in hackney and she said earlier this week in that rally we saw on the screen is there that she wants to stand as a candidate in the election and it was interesting because we heard from labour's deputy, angela rayner, saying that in her view, there was no reason she could see for diane abbott is not to be able to stand and sir keir starmer this morning asked whether he agreed with this deputy that he saw no reason why she couldn't stand and interesting lives this morning he didn't take the opportunity to say that and he maintained his line that no decision had been made and it was up no decision had been made and it was up to the committee but in the last few minutes he has come in front of the tv cameras again to say that in his view, he thinks diane abbott is clear to stand and i think there was an acknowledgement and realisation in labour that that meeting of that committee, the nec, would not happen until tuesday and at every policy announcement and any time a labour minister or spokesperson spoke to you or any of the other shows across the bbc and the rest of the media, they would be asked about diane abbott and this story would roll on until there was a clear decision and view. �* ., ., ., , view. and we got that in the last few minutes- — view. and we got that in the last few minutes. let's _ view. and we got that in the last few minutes. let's hear- view. and we got that in the last few minutes. let's hear from - view. and we got that in the last few minutes. let's hear from sir| few minutes. let's hearfrom sir keir starmer. few minutes. let's hear from sir keir starmer.— keir starmer. diane abbott was elected in 1987, _ keir starmer. diane abbott was elected in 1987, the _ keir starmer. diane abbott was elected in 1987, the first - keir starmer. diane abbott was elected in 1987, the first blackl elected in 1987, the first black woman— elected in 1987, the first black woman mp and she has been a trailblazer and she has carved a path _ trailblazer and she has carved a path for— trailblazer and she has carved a path for other people to come into politics— path for other people to come into politics and public life and the web has obviously been restored to her now and _ has obviously been restored to her now and she is free to go forward as a labour_ now and she is free to go forward as a labour candidate.— now and she is free to go forward as a labour candidate. have you spoken to diane and — a labour candidate. have you spoken to diane and do _ a labour candidate. have you spoken to diane and do you _ a labour candidate. have you spoken to diane and do you understand - a labour candidate. have you spoken to diane and do you understand that| to diane and do you understand that she wants to put herself forward to stand? ,, , ., ., ., ., stand? she is free to go forward as a labour candidate _ stand? she is free to go forward as a labour candidate and _ stand? she is free to go forward as a labour candidate and the - stand? she is free to go forward as a labour candidate and the web - stand? she is free to go forward as a labour candidate and the web is l a labour candidate and the web is back with — a labour candidate and the web is back with her and has been restored and of— back with her and has been restored and of course she was a trailblazer for many— and of course she was a trailblazer for many years and has cleared the path for— for many years and has cleared the path for others to come into politics _ path for others to come into politics -- _ path for others to come into politics. —— the whip is back. formerly— politics. —— the whip is back. formerly a _ politics. —— the whip is back. formerly a matter for the nec but i have not_ formerly a matter for the nec but i have not expressed a view up until now, _ have not expressed a view up until now. she — have not expressed a view up until now. she is — have not expressed a view up until now, she is clear to go forward as a labour_ now, she is clear to go forward as a labour candidate.— labour candidate. after days of this, labour candidate. after days of this. harry. _ labour candidate. after days of this, harry, there _ labour candidate. after days of this, harry, there it _ labour candidate. after days of this, harry, there it is, - labour candidate. after days of this, harry, there it is, a - labour candidate. after days of this, harry, there it is, a clearl this, harry, there it is, a clear decision and we are waiting for a response from diane abbott butjust your assessment of the damage this has perhaps done over the last few days. it has perhaps done over the last few da s. . . has perhaps done over the last few da s. , , ., ,., has perhaps done over the last few das. , , ., ._ days. it is interesting from so many levels, matthew, _ days. it is interesting from so many levels, matthew, obviously - days. it is interesting from so many levels, matthew, obviously diane . levels, matthew, obviously diane abbott a close ally of the former leader of the labour party, jeremy corbyn, and at the last general election she was running to be the home secretary, and much of what we have heard from sir keir starmer and the labour party throughout this campaign so far is their argument that labour has changed, they have changed the labour party, and there seems to be a direction of travel almost and you could see a narrative developing that that is why they didn't want diane abbott to stand because they have moved on and are looking to the future and the labour party has changed but so interesting that diane abbott came out in front of that rally we heard from in hackney saying she wanted to stand, she wanted to run as a labour candidate in stoke newington in east london and she felt she was being blocked from doing so and so keir starmer denied that and said no decision had been made but as i was saying, i think there was a realisation in the labour party that the campaign was being overtaken by questions around diane abbott, as you say, many party figures, political allies and opponents, hailing her as a trailblazer, obviously the first black woman to be an mp in parliament, has been an mp for decades, and recognised for her record acro