For supporters of Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott is the logical choice for Mayor of London

In an LBC debate on August 13 with London’s prospective Labour mayoral candidates, the host Iain Dale asked all the candidates their views on Jeremy Corbyn and his leadership bid. Diane Abbott was the only one to say that she supports Jeremy and believes he will be the next Prime Minister – she even made a £20 bet on it with Iain Dale! Fellow candidate Sadiq Khan said he would probably not serve in a Corbyn-led Shadow Cabinet, while David Lammy voiced his concerns on Corbyn being electable.

If Jeremy Corbyn wins, and comes under attack, it will certainly be important for Labour’s public representatives to defend him firmly, but that is not the principal reason why his supporters’ logical first preference in the Mayoral race should be Diane Abbott. The principal reasons are political.

Jeremy’s platform and popularity is based on a clear anti-austerity message and a firm break from the political consensus of the Blair-Brown years on a range of issues. I believe Diane not only most clearly represents this political viewpoint in the Mayoral race but also, as the only candidate to have beaten Tessa Jowell in a poll of Labour supporters, can win City Hall back for Labour.

In the London race, Diane is the only candidate with a consistent record of voting against austerity, including being the only MP candidate who opposed tuition and top-up fees as well as voting against the welfare cap, which is forcing thousands of Londoners into poverty. She is also a vocal and consistent champion of trade union rights.

This week’s statement from student leaders backing Diane for London, alongside her pledge to restore Education Maintenance Allowance in London, is a timely illustration of how she can turn these principles into popularity with voters that Labour has lost in recent years.

On wider political issues Diane has allied herself with Jeremy in parliament and has also been a consistently progressive voice – from being a champion of civil liberties, to opposing the scapegoating of migrants and refugees, to opposing the illegal war on Iraq, to being a leading figure in stopping the march to war on Syria in 2013. Like Jeremy, Diane is a firm opponent of wasting billions of pounds that could be spent on public services, on renewing Trident nuclear weapons.

I will be voting for Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott – I hope you will join me.

Claudia Webbe is a Councillor in the London Borough of Islington. She is a Cabinet/Executive Member with lead responsibility for Environment and Transport.