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Hackney’s Diane Abbott in London mayoral bid

Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Diane Abbott has formerly thrown her hat in the ring to be the party’s selected candidate for the 2016 mayoral election.

The left-wing former frontbencher maintained her stronghold on the Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat, with a huge majority of 25,000 last week.

Abbott’s campaign will focus on tackling growing inequality in the capital, the shortage of affordable housing and the spiralling cost of living as well as the importance of working alongside businesses to improve London.

Ms Abbott told the Standard: “Hard times call for a campaigning Mayor. Now more than ever our city needs a Mayor who will stand up for the interests of those increasingly left behind.

“But, as the MP for Hackney, I have always worked to bring all our communities together. And that is the kind of Mayor that I will be.

“Above all I will be the genuinely independently minded Mayor that London needs.”

Ms Abbott is running against frontrunner and former MP of Dulwich and West Norwood, Tottenham MP David Lammy, alongside with transport expert Christian Wolmar.

Nominations open today, with the expected candidate being announced at the end of July.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .