Diane Abbott has declared her intention to run as a Labour candidate in the upcoming election and win, denying rumors that she had been offered a seat in the Lords to stand down. She affirmed her position as the adopted Labour candidate for Hackney North & Stoke Newington, stating her determination to run and win as Labour’s candidate. After days of uncertainty, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer confirmed that Abbott was free to stand as a Labour candidate, praising her as a trailblazer for being the first black woman MP in the UK. Despite a tumultuous week of anonymous briefings and speculation, Abbott’s close ally Shami Chakrabarti advised her to take time to consider her next steps. Abbott also clarified on Twitter that she had never been offered a seat in the Lords and reiterated her commitment to running as Labour’s candidate.
Diane Abbott declares she will run as a Labour candidate and intends to win
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox
Get our free View from Westminster email
Diane Abbott has declared she intends to run as a Labour candidate at the election and win.
The veteran Labour MP also denied she had been offered a seat in the Lords to stand down.
She said: “I am the adopted Labour candidate for Hackney North & Stoke Newington. I intend to run and to win as Labour’s candidate.”
On Friday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Ms Abbot was “free” to stand as a Labour candidate in the general election, after days of back and forth about whether the veteran MP would be blocked.
He also praised her as a “trailblazer”, saying that after she was elected the first black woman MP in the UK, she “carved a path for other people”.
The dramatic U-turn came after Sir Keir’s deputy Angela Rayner said Ms Abbott should be allowed to stand in the seat she has represented since 1987 – in a break with her party leader.
But a close ally of Ms Abbott hit out at what she denounced as a “sordid week of unauthorised anonymous briefings by overgrown schoolboys in suits with their feet on the table” who had watched “too much West Wing”.
Labour peer Shami Chakrabarti said she had advised her friend to “take some time to consider what she wants to do”.
It came as a senior Labour figure denied she had been offered a peerage to leave the Commons, amid claims of a left-wing purge.
In a tweet on Sunday, Ms Abbott said: “I have never been offered a seat in the Lords, and would not accept one if offered.”
She added: “I am the adopted Labour candidate for Hackney North & Stoke Newington. I intend to run and to win as Labour’s candidate.”
Ms Abbott was given the Labour whip back last week, clearing the way for her to stand for the party. She had been suspended after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice but not racism, and had sat as an independent MP.
More follows …
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/diane-abbott-labour-mp-election-mp-win-b2555336.html