Who is Lyn Brown? Meet Labour's new Shadow Home Secretary who has replaced Diane Abbott

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Lyn Brown is the Labour shadow frontbencher set to replace Diane Abbott as Shadow Home Secretary.

Jeremy Corbyn announced the news on Wednesday after Ms Abbott pulled out of key election campaign events blaming a “period of ill health”.

Labour MP Lyn Brown has had an interesting journey in the shadow cabinet, after resigning from Mr Corbyn's team last year after the Parliamentary Labour Party gave a vote of no confidence.

Here is what you need to know about the new politician hoping to become head of the Home Office.

Who is Lyn Brown?

Lyn Brown, 57, has been the Labour MP for the party’s ultra-safe West Ham seat since 2005.

What is her background?

She grew up in Newham and went to Drew Road Primary School in Silvertown before studying at Plashet Comprehensive.

She says on her website she was lucky to have a “loving family” and her mum worked hard to make sure her and her sister had all they needed.

Ms Brown grew up in Newham.
www.lynbrown.org.uk

Speaking about her childhood, she said: "We were lucky. Each year, we went to a seaside holiday camp for one, whole week. Then we’d visit family for a second.

"I loved those weeks: dancing, fancy dress, crazy golf and swimming. Looking back, it wasn’t really that special, but we loved it and looked forward to it every year."

She went to university in south west London, studying English and Religion at what is now Roehampton University.

While there, she spent a year as president of the student union before returning to Newham.

She embarked on a long career in local government, working for Waltham Forest borough as well as at the Local Government Association and the Association of Local Government.

Her first foray into politics was in 1988 when she was elected as local councillor to Newham Council.

How long has she been an MP?

She took over as Labour MP for West Ham at the 2005 election, replacing MP Tony Banks following his retirement.

Lyn Brown has held her seat since 2005.

She held her seat for two more elections, increasing her majority year on year.

In 2015, West Ham was a Labour hold with a majority of more than 27,986 and 68 per cent of the vote share.

What about her Parliamentary career?

Ms Brown was assistant whip to the Treasury while Labour were in power from 2009 until the 2010 election.

She was then opposition whip in the Commons for three years before joining the shadow cabinet as minister for communities and local government under Labour leader Ed Miliband.

When Jeremy Corbyn was elected, she was appointed shadow minister for the Home Office but resigned in June last year, calling Mr Corbyn’s role “untenable”.

She was one of dozens of members of the shadow cabinet to quit in protest following the Parliamentary Labour Party's vote of no confidence in Mr Corbyn.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Diane Abbott was stepping down.
AFP/Getty Images

Explaining her decision, she said at the time she had "enormous respect" for Mr Corbyn.

She said :"Following the overwhelming vote of the parliamentary Labour party, it was with a heavy heart that I concluded that we had reached a tipping point and, for the good of the party and the country, I believe that we should seek a new leader.

"I will continue to do my utmost to campaign for the Labour party that I love and for my constituents in West Ham from the backbenches.”

But in October last year she re-joined the Labour shadow frontbench as shadow minister for policing.

How did she vote?

On Brexit, Ms Brown voted to remain in the European Union.

After the EU referendum, Ms Brown defied Labour’s three-line whip ordering MPs to back the Brexit bill and voted against.

On other issues, she has consistently voted against university tuition fees, almost always voted for paying higher benefits for those unable to work because of illness or disability and backed removing hereditary peers from the House of Lords.

She also supports the ban on fox hunting.

Why has she been asked to fill in for Diane Abbott?

With less than 24 hours to go until the polls open, Jeremy Corbyn announced he was replacing Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott with Ms Brown.

Ms Brown’s new role will only be while Ms Abbott is off, recovering from what she called a “period of ill health”.

Her absence comes as the Shadow Home Secretary saw herself repeatedly criticised by opponents who claimed she was “not fit” to be in government following several “car crash interviews”.

Ms Abbott pulled out of two key campaign events on Tuesday, including the Evening Standard’s own election hustings.

How long will Lyn Brown be the acting Shadow Home Secretary?

According to the BBC, Ms Abbott’s break will be “indefinite”.

Mr Corbyn said on Wednesday: “I'll be talking to her later on today - she's not well at the moment."

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