LONDON, June 3, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Diane Abbott, the first black woman to
become a British MP and a left-wing figurehead, on Sunday said she would run
for Labour in July's election after days of confusion.

The internal ruckus over her situation exposed long-standing factional splits
within the main opposition party, which is widely expected to return to power
for the first time since 2010.

Abbott, 70, had said Labour was preventing her from standing as its candidate
at the July 4 general election, more than a year after being suspended from
its parliamentary group over a racism row.

Labour leader Keir Starmer, on course to become the next prime minister with
polls putting his party far ahead of the ruling Conservatives, said on Friday
she was "free" to stand for his group.

Writing on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, Abbott confirmed she would run as
a Labour candidate for her London constituency of Hackney North and Stoke
Newington, which she has represented since 1987.

She also denied press reports that Labour was offering places in the UK
parliament's unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, to MPs if they
stood down from running in the general election.

"I have never been offered a seat in the Lords, and would not accept one if
offered," Abbott said.

The row over Abbott overshadowed Labour's campaign, with Starmer accused of
purging leftist figures in his bid to reshape the party following the
leadership of hard-left figure Jeremy Corbyn.