Diane Abbott back to 'fighting fitness' after period of ill health
2 min read
Diane Abbott has said she is back to “fighting fitness” after taking a break from the frontbench to recover from an illness.
The Shadow Home Secretary later revealed she was suffering with Type 2 diabetes.
Writing in the Observer article last week, she said it had been “out of control” in the run-up to the election, when she made a series of poorly received television performances.
“During the election campaign, everything went crazy – and the diabetes was out of control, the blood sugar was out of control.”
But speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, Ms Abbott said it was a “perfectly manageable condition” and that resigning was “never an option”.
She added stress had not been an issue in the campaign and the only problem had been her blood sugar.
“I am back to fighting fitness and I am back to representing the people of Hackney North and Stoke Newington, but above all to representing the Labour party in the debates and the battles to come,” the Labour MP said.
Although Jeremy Corbyn hit out at the “unfair abuse” of Ms Abbott during the campaign, the frontbencher did not condemn the media for their coverage.
“I think politicians complaining about media is like sailors complaining about the weather,” she said.
“I wasn't well for part of the campaign but I'm better now and looking forward to working with the Labour Shadow Cabinet team to bring accountability and the right policy message forward in the coming months and years.”
Mr Corbyn confirmed Ms Abbott’s return to the Shadow Cabinet at the weekend.
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