Diane aims for the frontbench

Leadership contender Diane Abbott will run for shadow cabinet, she has announced.

She is hoping to be one of the 19 elected to serve with Ed Miliband - there are more than 50 MPs in the race.

The PLP elects the shadow cabinet.

Diane only won the first preferences of seven MPs in the leadership election and was eliminated on the first round, but she is hopeful that her increased profile, plus the fact that a third of the shadow cabinet seats are reserved for women, will secure her a place at the top table.

If she succeeds it would be a huge boost for the first black woman elected to parliament.

She has been an MP since 1987 but has never held a frontbench role.

Here is a pic of Diane at the 1987 Labour party conference, sitting with Paul Boateng, Bernie Grant and Keith Vaz, with John Prescott sitting behind them.

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