Image copyright PA

Food blogger Jack Monroe will stand as a candidate for the National Health Action (NHA) Party in the forthcoming general election, she has confirmed.

The writer and activist will run in the Southend West constituency in her first campaign to become an MP.

Last month, Ms Monroe successfully sued columnist Katie Hopkins for defamation over two tweets published in 2015, and was awarded £24,000 in damages.

On Twitter, she thanked Ms Hopkins for being her "campaign sponsor".

Ms Monroe tweeted that her fear of meeting new people would make the general election "a huge personal challenge on every level".

But she added: "Some things are bigger than me, so today I'm digging deep."

Image copyright Twitter

Responding to Twitter users suggesting that she will lose her deposit, Ms Monroe wrote: "I may well do, but you should be directing your glee to my campaign sponsor, Katie.

"Because nothing feels more right than using money earned through division and hate, to instead promote unity, community, and care.

"So from the bottom of my heart, thank you Katie for your generous - if unwitting - contribution to saving the National Health Service."

'Delighted'

The NHA grew from a campaign group opposing the 2012 Health and Social Care Act.

It ran candidates for local and European elections in 2014, including comedian Rufus Hound, and contested 12 seats in the 2015 general election.

The party tweeted that they were "delighted" Ms Monroe was representing them.

Conservative Sir David Amess, who is also running on 8 June, won the seat in the 2015 with a 14,000 majority.