Shadow home secretary had been expected to take part in live debate on BBC show with Conservative rival Amber Rudd

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Diane Abbott has pulled out of a debate on BBC Woman’s Hour at the last minute due to illness.

As the election campaign enters its final 48 hours, senior female politicians from five parties are participating in a live debate with questions from listeners.

Labour had been expected to field the shadow home secretary against her Conservative opposite number, Amber Rudd. But in a statement, the party said: “Diane Abbott has had to pull out of Woman’s Hour due to illness. Emily Thornberry will take part instead.”

Abbott has had a number of difficult media appearances since the start of the campaign, including an interview in which she struggled to explain the cost of Labour’s policy to increase the number of frontline police officers.

Theresa May has not done an interview with Woman’s Hour, unlike several other party leaders – though her aides last week insisted she might still find time to do so.

Abbott’s fitness to be home secretary has been regularly questioned by senior Conservatives, including the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who raised it several times during an interview about police cuts on Tuesday’s BBC Today programme.

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Abbott also cited illness as the reason for missing the second reading of the government’s article 50 bill earlier this year. Jeremy Corbyn imposed a three-line whip on Labour to back the legislation, causing a split in the parliamentary party and several shadow cabinet resignations.

Reports at the weekend suggested aides to Corbyn were trying to minimise Abbott’s media exposure.