Diane Abbott 'intends to run and win' as Labour candidate after party row

The fate of Ms Abbott's candidacy has been a key question for Labour since the start of the campaign

Diane Abbott has announced she intends to "run and win" as a candidate for Labour following an in-party dispute about her position in the General Election

Writing on social media, Ms Abbott said reports left-wing MPs had been offered peerages to stand down were “factually incorrect”.

She said: “I have never been offered a seat in the Lords, and would not accept one if offered.“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 suspended from Labour last year after she suggested Jewish, Irish and Traveller people experience prejudice, but not racism, sparking a long-running process which saw her sit as an Independent MP.

She had the Labour whip restored this week, but it was briefed out that she might be “barred” from running for the party in the General Election.

For days, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer declined to say whether Ms Abbott would be defending her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat on July 4, as he faced claims of a “purge” of left-wing candidates.

On Friday he said she was “free” to run after the row over her candidacy overshadowed much of the story of Labour’s campaign last week.

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