FOLLOWING the much welcomed and needed entry of Jeremy Corbyn into the Labour leadership race, there are now two selections taking place in the Labour Party where the left is mounting a challenge and putting forward a clear alternative to Tory austerity.

Here in London, party members, affiliates and registered supporters get a say in who will be Labour’s candidate for mayor of London in next year’s election, and Diane Abbott, longstanding member of the left-wing Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs, is standing in the contest.

All of the left should wholeheartedly throw its support behind her.

Abbott launched her campaign at a packed meeting in central London on May 20.

At the meeting, she pointed out that she has better name recognition than most of her rivals, that she has a vision for how to run London better and that she embodies the radical progressive tradition of the London Labour Party.

At her follow-up campaign meeting in June she was joined by Corbyn, who expressed his support for her mayoral bid.

Abbott has represented my constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington in Parliament since 1987, she has represented party members on Labour’s national executive and she has served on the front bench speaking for Labour on public health.

She played a central role in leading the successful opposition to the proposed bombing of Syria and has shown over the years she will not simply follow the party line but will speak her mind on what is best for Londoners.

In this regard, Abbott’s campaign materials have made clear her central priorities will include defending public services, opposing austerity, implementing real action to tackle climate change and working alongside local authorities to tackle the deepening housing crisis.

In terms of the choice on offer, six candidates who put themselves forward to stand for Labour have made it onto the ballot paper, having received the required number of constituency nominations despite last-minute rumours that head office favoured a shortlist of just three.

The other five candidates on the ballot paper are Tessa Jowell, Sadiq Khan MP, David Lammy MP, Christian Wolmar and Gareth Thomas MP.

From these, it is crystal clear that Abbott has the best politics of the six candidates.

She is the only one to oppose the Tories’ austerity policies and voted against the recent “budget responsibility” Bill for permanent austerity.

She has an excellent record on opposition to war and the erosion of our civil liberties.

Abbott is also perhaps the outstanding Labour politician of the last decade for opposing the move to the right on immigration and asylum, hostility to foreigners and the rise of casual racism, including through playing a leading role in the now annual Stand Up to Racism demonstrations.

Additionally, concretely, of those contesting the nomination from a left-wing perspective, Abbott has by far the best voting record on major issues being the only one to:

• vote against the Iraq war
• oppose Trident replacement
• vote against establishing NHS foundation trusts
• vote against establishing foundation and trust schools, and to end selection by ability and to oppose tuition fees
• vote against the benefit cap
• vote against the government’s Autumn Statement update endorsing £30 billion cuts.

Additionally, Abbott and Khan were the only ones to oppose 90-day detention without charge.

Just last week, Abbott didn’t just join Corbyn and others in helping to lead and speaking at the massive End Austerity Now demonstration — unlike any of the other mayoral candidates — she also promoted the demonstration to all in the London Labour Party in one of her regular campaign e-bulletins and has written a number of opinion pieces, including for the Morning Star, on why London needs a mayor who will oppose austerity.

Supporters have until August 12 to join the Labour Party as a full member, an affiliated member or as a registered supporter in order to take part and vote for both Corbyn and Abbott. 

The ballot will be from August 14 until September 10, with the result announced shortly afterwards.
Please get involved and support Diane.

• John Stewart is a member of Hackney North and Stoke Newington Constituency Labour Party.

- Diane Abbott’s campaign needs volunteers to help out. To get involved see www.diane4london.co.uk or email info@diane4london.co.uk.