DIANE ABBOTT MP 33 years as a Titan of British Politics BY BELL RIBEIRO-ADDY MP
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iane Abbott stands to give her maiden speech and make history as the first black woman ever elected into the House of Commons. It’s 1987. There are Tory men shouting and jeering. There are Labour MPs who regret her very presence in the House. This won’t be the last time in Diane’s career that she will
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2020
make history whilst staring the forces of reaction in the face. As well as going on to give award winning speeches, Diane would also become the first Black Labour leadership candidate, serve as the first Black shadow Home Secretary and become the first Black woman to represent her party from the dispatch box during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). Diane’s election in 1987 saw the start of a career that would make history and inspire hundreds of young Black women. Among them, one two-year old growing up in Streatham, who – unbeknownst to the both of us – would later be so inspired by Diane’s story that she would go on to work for her and later serve as an MP alongside her. I never dreamed that I would get the opportunity to work for a living legend, a trailblazer, and the first Black woman to enter Parliament. For a Black woman in politics there could be no better mentor. Diane’s honesty, integrity, tenacity and consistency continues to inspire me, and is the reason why I am pleased to call her a mentor, a colleague and most of all, a friend. For women in politics, life can be hard. For Black women in politics, doubly so. We have seen time and time again reports of the abuse that Black female MPs experience, something that Diane is no stranger to. For many of us, this abuse now takes place on social media, but Diane has experienced abuse on a multitude of platforms and from a variety of directions. The 1987 election in Hackney North and Stoke Newington wasn’t just notable for opening a new chapter in Black history, but also for overcoming the contempt of
her opponents and the dislike of her own Party. The contest for the seat quickly became nasty, with Diane facing hostility from opponents on the grounds of her race and receiving no support at all from some in the Labour Party. She even had a brick thrown through her campaign office window. Despite this, Diane went on to win her seat with a 19.8% majority – a majority that she has continued to build on ever since. Along with Keith Vaz, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant, Diane Abbott demonstrated to Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people across the UK that we can be elected into Parliament. Fast forward 33 years and we now boast the most diverse Parliament in the UK’s history. Whilst diversifying Parliament is an ongoing struggle, Diane’s historic election in 1987 marked the first successful steps and we are eternally indebted to her because of this. Having been an MP for 33 years, Diane has made some memorable contributions in the House, but perhaps none as notable as her contribution to the 2008 Counter Terrorism Bill debate. A speech that won The Spectator magazine’s “Parliamentary Speech of the Year” award and received further recognition at the 2008 Human Rights awards. A speech so powerful that, when set to follow it, Tory MP David Davies noted it to be one of the finest speeches he had heard since being elected to the House of Commons. Unwilling to be intimidated by Party whips, Diane offered a strong defence of civil liberties, something she has never shied away from in her 33 years in Parliament. In 2010, Diane decided to throw her hat into the ring and run in the Labour Leadership election, becoming the first Black woman to run for the position. She entered the election promising to address the issues left neglected under previous Labour leaders, particularly the issue of an immigration system that was, and still is, unfair and inefficient.
