Diane Abbott has announced her intention to stand for Labour in the upcoming general election, amid controversy over whether the party would select her as a candidate. The veteran left-winger declared she was the “adopted Labour candidate” for Hackney North and Stoke Newington after days of speculation.
The debate over her candidacy has dominated the first week of campaigning. Abbott denied reports that she and other Labour MPs had been offered peerages in exchange for stepping aside. “I have never been offered a seat in the Lords, and would not accept one if offered,” she wrote on social media platform X. “I intend to run and to win as Labour’s candidate,” she added. The party has yet to comment.
Later that evening, Abbott called Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer a “liar” in response to his claim of respecting her, but quickly deleted the post. This came after Baroness Chakrabarti, a close ally, advised her to “take some time” to consider her decision to stand for Labour, criticizing the party’s treatment of Abbott as “appalling.”
Abbott, who has represented Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987 and served as a shadow cabinet minister under former leader Jeremy Corbyn, faced a 13-month investigation over a letter she wrote suggesting that Jewish, Irish, and Traveller people do not face racism “all their lives.” She apologized and retracted the remarks soon after their publication.
Speculation had mounted that the Labour Party’s ruling body would block her from running, despite her recent readmission as a Labour MP. Starmer eventually stated she would be free to stand for the party.
Baroness Chakrabarti criticized the handling of the situation as “sordid,” blaming “anonymous briefings by overgrown schoolboys in suits” for the reports that Abbott would be barred. She expressed hope that Abbott would take time to reflect on her decision.
Abbott previously accused the party leadership of wanting to “exclude” her from Parliament but has remained determined to stay on as Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP “as long as it is possible.” The full list of candidates for the constituency will be available on the BBC News website after nominations close on Friday.
