Diane Abbott says she will stand in Hackney ‘by any means possible’

Published

1 year ago

May 30, 2024

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Diane Abbott says she plans to stand in her Hackney North seat in the upcoming general election “by any means possible”.

The Labour MP had the whip restored to her on Tuesday after being investigated for almost a year over a letter she wrote in The Guardian, suggesting Jewish people do not face racism.

But since then, there has been confusion over whether she would be allowed to stand for the constituency she has represented for over 37 years under the party’s banner – or be banned from standing at all.

Politics live: PM not worried about ‘grim’ polls for Tories

Speaking earlier on Wednesday following a report in The Times that Ms Abbott – the UK’s first black woman MP – would be blocked from running in this election, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said “no decision has been taken to bar” her.

But during a rally in support of her in Hackney, east London, she refuted this, telling the crowd: “I was shocked to learn yesterday that I am going to be banned from running for the Labour Party.

“I have been selected by my local party members, many of whom are here today, but the national party is insisting that I be banned.”

Ms Abbott accused the party of not communicating with her “personally” and for not giving her a reason for the ban, adding: “They just want me excluded from parliament.

“So I am so shocked and so alarmed about what is going on because it is as if you are not allowed to be a Labour MP unless you are prepared to repeat everything the leader says.”

The Labour MP said she felt those at the top of her party were “throwing” her campaigning on equality and poverty “in my face”.

But she vowed to fight on, saying: “You have always stood with me, in good times and bad, and I will always stand with you. I am not going to allow myself to be intimated or frightened by forces beyond all of our control. I am going to be your MP as long as I am allowed to.”

Ms Abbott added: “I remember when I first ran as the Labour MP all the way back in 1987. People thought I couldn’t win. People thought you couldn’t elect a black woman to parliament because it had never been done before.

“But local people went out, campaigned, knocked on doors and made me Britain’s first black woman member of parliament.”

She continued: “I have to keep faith with that loyalty. I have to keep faith with my principles. I have to keep faith with supporting and speaking up for equalities, poor people, for the community here in Hackney.

“So I promise you that as long as is possible I will be the member of parliament for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.”

Sky News has approached the Labour Party for comment.

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UK

Woman arrested on suspicion of murder after death of two children in Stafford

Published

3 hours ago

October 12, 2025

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Woman arrested on suspicion of murder after death of two children in Stafford

A 43-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the death of two children in Stafford.

Police were called to a home on Corporation Street at around 7.30am on Sunday by West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Two children were pronounced dead at the scene, Staffordshire Police said.

Detective Inspector Kirsty Oldfield said: “We are working hard to understand more about what happened leading up to these two children tragically losing their lives.

“We ask that people do not speculate at this stage as it is distressing for family and friends and could hinder our inquiries.

“We understand that this incident may cause concern in the local community. We don’t believe there is wider threat to the public at this time.”

The 43-year-old woman, who is from the Stafford area, remains in custody.

The force has not confirmed the ages of the two children. Their next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers, police said.

UK

Man charged with stalking after allegedly targeting Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and his family

Published

4 hours ago

October 12, 2025

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Man charged with stalking after allegedly targeting Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and his family

A man has been charged with stalking and possession of a flick knife after allegedly targeting Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey and his family.

Inigo Rowland, 58, of Surbiton, south London, was arrested last Monday, but it was only made public on Sunday.

He appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody, the Met Police said.

The offences are alleged to have taken place between June and October.

Sir Ed, the MP for Kingston and Surbiton, lives in southwest London with his wife, Emily, their 17-year-old son John, and his younger sister Ellie.

A spokesperson for the Met Police said: “Inigo Rowland, 58, of Surbiton has been charged with stalking and possession of a flick knife.

“He appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 7 October and was remanded into custody. He will next appear at the same court on Tuesday, 14 October.

“He was arrested on Monday, 6 October in relation to the offences, which are alleged to have taken place between June and October.”

A Lib Dem spokesperson said: “We cannot provide any details at this time, Ed’s number one priority is the safety of his family.”

UK

Paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins dies after attack in prison

Published

15 hours ago

October 12, 2025

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Paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins dies after attack in prison

Paedophile Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins has died after being attacked in prison.

Watkins, 48, was serving a 29-year jail term for multiple sexual offences, including serious crimes against young children and babies at HMP Wakefield, in West Yorkshire.

He was attacked with a knife by another inmate on Saturday morning, sources have confirmed.

West Yorkshire Police said two men, aged 25 and 43, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene after prison staff reported the assault to police.

The prison went into lockdown in the immediate aftermath of the incident, sources added.

A Prison Service spokesperson said they could not comment while the police investigate.

Watkins was previously stabbed in an incident at the same prison in 2023, suffering non life-threatening injuries after he was reportedly taken hostage by three other inmates before being freed by prison officers six hours later.

He was sentenced in December 2013 to 29 years in prison, with a further six years on licence, after admitting 13 sex offences, including the attempted rape of a fan’s baby.

He also encouraged a second fan to abuse her child during a webcam chat and secretly stashed child sexual abuse videos, some of which he had made himself.

At the time, police described him as a “committed, organised paedophile”.

Having found fame in Welsh rock band Lostprophets, Watkins was arrested after his Pontypridd home was searched on orders of a drug warrant in September 2012.

A large number of computers, mobile phones and storage devices were seized during the search.

When sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court, the singer was told he was being given an extended sentence – and a judge said his crimes “plumbed new depths of depravity”.

After being caught with a mobile phone behind bars in 2019, he told a court that he was locked up with “murderers, mass murderers, rapists, paedophiles, serial killers – the worst of the worst”.