Diane Abbott has promised to stay on as an MP for her east London constituency "for as long as possible", setting up a clash with Keir Starmer after a deal for her to retire from parliament broke down. Abbott was given back the Labour whip this week after an investigation into comments she made about racism last year. A Labour source briefed journalists that Abbott would be barred from standing again in her Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency. Starmer denied on Wednesday that she had been barred I want to be an MP for as long as possible, Diane Abbott tells supporters