[lcrz]

    Python 2.7.16 (default, May  8 2021, 11:48:02) 
    >>> import json
    >>> json.loads('{"a"  :     "b"    }')
    {u'a': u'b'}

[dec0dedab0de]

In case either of you check your threads page, it was just a stupid mistake on my part. See my edit. Thank you for correcting me.