Diane Abbott. Pic: dianeabbott.org.uk

Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has been sacked from her position as shadow public health minister.

The high profile Labour MP was dismissed by Ed Milliband in a meeting earlier this morning.

In a letter to The Guardian today, Abbott said: “I have long despaired of the downward spiral of Labour’s rhetoric on immigration.”

Abbott was supposedly told that she had shown insufficient loyalty to the party. Commentators suggest that Abbott is too independent to continue on the frontbench.

About her departure, Abbott said: “I think Ed wants more message discipline. I will live. These things happen.”

In her Guardian letter she added: “For instance we should have come out against the “immigrants go home” van far more quickly and more firmly than we did.”

Abbott was also strongly opposed to the proposed military action to punish the Syrian regime for their apparent use of chemical weapons against rebel groups.

The sacking comes as part of Miliband’s reshuffle of his frontbench ahead of the next election.

ELL has previously reported on Abbot who has made speeches on a number of difficult issues, one of which displayed her concern for the sexualisation of British teenagers.