Diane Abbott cleared to run as Labour candidate

04 June 2024 , 13:44

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Diane Abbott cleared to run as Labour candidate

Diane Abbott has been confirmed to be standing as Labour’s candidate in Hackney North and Stoke Newington.

The decision, made by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), comes following a week of speculation over whether she would stand after having the Labour Whip restored to her following a year-long suspension.

Ms Abbott told the BBC she will ‘definitely’, stand as Labour’s candidate in Hackney North, which she has represented for 37 years.

‘Oh yes. I’m definitely going to stand’, she said.

Although she declined to comment on Keir Starmer’s treatment of her in recent months, she previously accused him of carrying out a ‘cull of left-wingers’ within the party, citing former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s suspension and the blocking of Faiza Shaheen.

Ahead of the NEC’s decision on Tuesday, Starmer said: ‘Look, we’ve dealt with the Diane Abbott issue. I made the position absolutely clear last week when I said she was free to run for the election.

Fellow left-winger Apsana Begum is also believed to be on the list of candidates to be nodded through by the NEC despite speculation that she could be blocked.

Meanwhile, Darren Rodwell, Labour’s candidate for Barking, has found himself deselected by the NEC following an allegation of sexual harassment.

Rodwell strongly denies the claim and suggests it is part of a smear campaign to discredit him.

Elizabeth Baker