Diane Abbott MP
Diane Abbott was elected Britain’s first Black woman MP in 1987. Representing the London constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington. She was also one a small group of Black MPs, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant made history by being elected that year.
Abbott was born in London to Jamaican parents and then educated at Harrow County Girls’ Grammar School and Newnham College. Later she went on to achieve an M.A.Hons in History from Cambridge University.
A journalist by profession, she had worked as an administrative trainee with the Home Office as a Race Relations Officer for the National Council for Civil Liberties, a reporter with TV AM and Thames Television, Public Relations Officer with the GLC and Head of Lambeth Council’s Press Office.
Active for many years in the Trades Union movement, particularly on race equality issues, Ms Abbott served for a year as Britain’s first Black female Equality Officer in the Association of Cinematographers Television and Allied Technicians.
The Labour Party
Abbott was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Westminster in 1982 for four years, during which she was a member of the Environment, Grants and Social Services Committees.
After being elected Abbott was active in the Black Sections movement within the Labour Party and in community politics, including OWAAD (Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent); the “Scrap Sus” campaign, to ban police stop-and-search tactics levelled at Black youth and was also a founder member of the Black Media Workers’ Organisation.
Ms Abbott was a vocal opponent of New Labour’s centrist policies during the Blair Premiership. Policies she opposed included the Iraq War and the proposed introduction of ID Cards.
She stood for the leader of the Labour Party but lost out to Ed Miliband. Who then appointed her as Shadow Minister for Public Health.
Courting Controversy
Abbot has never been one to shy away from controversy. Her politics are on the more socialist side of politics, and she has attracted criticism for remarks she made in 1984 about the IRA and comments that appeared to support the legacy of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Abbot was one of 36 Labour MPs who supported Jeremy Corbyn’s bid to become Labour Leader, and during the Jeremy Corbyn Leadership, Abbott became a member of the Shadow Cabinet, as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, Shadow Health Secretary and then Shadow Home Secretary.
During which time Abbot gave a number of Interviews where she made a series of gaffes, which were mercilessly highlighted by the media. During this period, Abbott also received a record number of sexist and racist messages on Social Media, receiving 10x more abuse than any other MP online.
Despite being an ardent anti-racist campaigner, her opponents point to a number of comments made in which she was perceived to have made racist statements against white people. Her supporters argue that Abbot was unfairly targeted as a staunch supporter of Jeremy Corbyn. She served on the front bench until February 2020.
Diane Abbott – Voting record
Ms Abbott has a fairly consistent voting record, which can be seen here. Something about her politics certainly chimes with her supporters, and people from her local constituency have returned her as an MP at every election since 1987.
Related Links
- Diane Abbott MP
- Mp Profile
- Voting Record
