The Mail on Sunday has dismissed a complaint from Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott after standing by its story about her using the men’s toilet facilities at the House of Commons.

The short 51-word report appeared in the newspaper’s political column Black Dog on 17 June under the headline: “Diane Abbott causes alarm when she visits the wrong chamber”.

Abbott had “caused alarm late on Monday by innocently wandering into the gents in the Commons”, the Mail on Sunday said.