MP Diane Abbott sacked as shadow health minister
Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP Diane Abbott has been sacked as shadow public health minister. Picture: Tony Gay - Credit: Archant
The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington was axed from the shadow cabinet as part of reshuffle by Labour today.
Diane Abbot lost her role as shadow public health minister in the move by leader of the opposition Ed Miliband.
Ms Abbott is reported to have said Mr Miliband “was very nice about it”
She expressed regret about no longer working with the health team but vowed to continue to work on issues she was passionate about such as “the sexualisation of women and girls”.
She also said she planned to enjoy being a “free agent” on the backbenches and “go back to campaigning for Hackney in a way that I did not have the freedom to when I was a frontbench spokeswoman”.
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She admitted she was concerned about the “effects of austerity” on the borough in the form of services and job cuts, something which could be mitigated if Trident was scrapped.
Ms Abbott was first appointed to the role by Miliband in October 2010, shortly after she stood for party leadership.
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She also criticised the party’s stance on immigration and said she had long despaired of the party’s “downward spiral” on the subject.
