Diane Abbott says she intends to ‘run and win’ as Labour candidate

Abbott has been at the centre of a row that dominated the last week’s election news. Photograph: Alberto Pezzali/AP

Diane Abbott has said she intends to “run and win” for Labour in Hackney North and Stoke Newington, days before a meeting of the party’s executive is expected to rubber-stamp her candidacy.

Keir Starmer said last week that Abbott was “free to stand” as a Labour candidate after regaining the whip after a long suspension. It followed days of speculation that Abbot would be blocked from standing, culminating in her accusing Labour of carrying out a “cull of leftwingers”.