Moment Diane Abbott is told Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has lost seat

‘Yes, get in!’ Moment Diane Abbott is told by her aide that Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has lost her seat

  • Labour MP was at count for Hackney South and Shoreditch in East London
  • Jo Swinson was ousted in East Dunbartonshire by the SNP’s Amy Callaghan 
  • Diane Abbott reacted to news by enthusiastically whispering: ‘Yes, get in!’ 
  • She retained seat in Hackney North and Stoke Newington with huge majority

This is the moment shadow home secretary Diane Abbott celebrated Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson losing her seat to the Scottish National Party.

The 66-year-old Labour MP was at the count for Hackney South and Shoreditch in East London shortly before 4am when an aide told her the news.

She reacted by enthusiastically whispering: ‘Yes, get in!’ after Ms Swinson was ousted in East Dunbartonshire by the SNP‘s Amy Callaghan by just 149 votes.

Labour MP Diane Abbott was at the count for Hackney South and Shoreditch in East London today when an aide told her the news about Jo Swinson losing to the Scottish National Party

Miss Abbott had been watching the count at Hackney South and Shoreditch in East London

Miss Abbott had been watching the count at Hackney South and Shoreditch in East London

Miss Abbott retained her seat in Hackney North and Stoke Newington with a huge majority of 33,188 as she took more than 70 per cent of the vote.

It comes despite a low key election campaign in which she seldom featured at large events with Jeremy Corbyn or any other shadow Cabinet members.

But during the count at Hackney South and Shoreditch, Hackney Citizen reporter Elizabeth Rushton filmed her reacting to the news on Miss Swinson.

An aide was heard saying: ‘Jo Swinson’s lost her seat’. Miss Abbott then asked: ‘Who lost their seat?’, and the aide replied: ‘Swinson’. Abbott said: ‘Yes, get in.’

In her victory speech at Hackney North, Miss Abbott said: ‘I would like to thank my political opponents for a clean fight in this election. I am sorry I can’t say the same about the national Tory party or sections of the media.

Miss Abbott, 66, is pictured after her win in Hackney North and Stoke Newington overnight

Miss Abbott, 66, is pictured after her win in Hackney North and Stoke Newington overnight

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson reacts as she loses her East Dumbartonshire constituency today

Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson reacts as she loses her East Dumbartonshire constituency today

‘I also want to thank the people of Hackney, who yet again have humbled me with the faith that they have placed in me.’

She also made a plea for Labour to retain its Corbynite policies overnight, tweeting: ‘This is clearly a bad night for Labour, which requires careful analysis.

‘But it could be much worse than a bad night for all those who rely on our public services and the NHS. Which means we still need a leadership that fights for the many, not the few.’

The Liberal Democrats have appointed the party’s deputy leader Sir Ed Davey and president Baroness Sal Brinton as joint leaders after Miss Swinson’s defeat.

Miss Swinson said she lost her seat to the SNP after a “wave of nationalism” swept politics on both sides of the border. 

It comes after Miss Abbott appeared to wear two left shoes from different pairs as she went out campaigning in East London yesterday

It comes after Miss Abbott appeared to wear two left shoes from different pairs as she went out campaigning in East London yesterday 

Ms Abbott appeared to be wearing two left shoes from separate pairs of black loafers

Ms Abbott appeared to be wearing two left shoes from separate pairs of black loafers

It comes after Miss Abbott appeared to wear two left shoes from different pairs as she went out campaigning yesterday.

She turned out to support Labour colleague Meg Hillier in her neighbouring East London constituency of Hackney South.

But Twitter users spotted that Mr Corbyn’s ally was actually wearing two left shoes from two different pairs of loafers in pictures of the meeting.

The photo of her feet – with one crushed into the wrong shoe – went viral online yesterday after Ms Hillier shared the photo.

Ms Abbott later tweeted, in response to a Twitter user asking what they should wear to vote: ‘Always wear what you want. And always vote Labour.’