Diane Abbott throws hat into the ring for London Mayor

Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North & Stoke Newington

Diane Abbott has announced it is her “firm intention” to run as a candidate for the Mayor of London in 2016.

The Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington said she wants to “lead the fight to make London affordable again”.

Ms Abbott’s said her priorities would be introducing “fundamental measures” to ease the housing crisis and providing a “strong voice” against the current “toxic narrative” surrounding immigration.

Ex-culture secretary Dame Tessa Jowell and Tottenham MP David Lammy have expressed an interest in the candidacy.

Transport expert Christian Wolmar has also said he intends to put himself forward for the Labour nomination.

Ms Abbott said: “I have recently announced my firm intention to run to be Labour’s candidate for Mayor of London. It is not a formal declaration. The contest does not start officially until June 2015. So my current priority is Labour’s campaign to win the 2015 General Election.”

“A key issue is the cost of housing. House prices have spiralled way above average incomes, rents are the highest in the country and Londoners pay a bigger proportion of their income in rents than anyone else in the UK.”

“On the question of immigration I would be a strong voice against the current toxic narrative. At times all the major political parties appear to be competing as to who can sound the most anti-immigrant. As another Labour figure has said recently, too many politicians talk about immigration as if it is a disease.

“The public needs to be reminded that recent EU migrants contribute more to the economy than they take out and that, far from being a drain on our public services, immigrants are the backbone of the public services in London.

Ms Abbott unsuccessfully contested the Labour leadership in 2010.