Hull North Labour MP Diana Johnson wins deselection battle

MP Diana Johnson won Friday's vote by 292 to 101

A Labour MP who faced deselection under new party rules has won the contest to be the prospective candidate in her constituency in the next election.

Diana Johnson, for Hull North, faced losing the seat she had held for 14 years after becoming the first MP to face a reselection battle.

She said it had been a "very stressful" campaign but said she was delighted to win.

Ms Jonson took 292 votes against Hull councillor Aneesa Akbar who had 101.

Her reselection was triggered under rules that trigger a run-off election if a third of Labour branches in the constituency lose confidence in their candidate.

Ms Johnson said her victory reflected the fact she had a "strong track record" and "her hard work and dedication to Hull".

She added: "It's been a very stressful campaign because obviously it's been in the middle of the national crisis around Brexit, so it has been a very difficult few weeks trying to balance being a member of parliament in Westminster and running a campaign."

In 2018, the MP was named Backbencher of the Year by the Political Studies Association for her campaigning on the NHS contaminated blood scandal.