Labour Search for Candidate for Diane Abbott's Seat

The Guardian reports that moves to find a successor to Diane Abbott in the parliamentary seat she has represented since 1987 are under way, prompting concern a decision has already been made regarding her membership of Labour before an investigation into her latest suspension has concluded.   Go here to read more.  

Diane Abbott was suspended from the Labour Party again over her remarks about racism.  

I expect she is considering joining Jeremy Corbyn's new party.  

As we all know, the racism and discrimination experienced by those of us who have Black and brown skins, i.e. those who are identifiable as Black, Asian or brown-skinned people,  is different from discrimination experienced by those who have white skin, including Irish people and some Jewish people.  

She was first elected to Pariament in 1987, before which time she had been a local councillor for many years.  After Tony Blair's "New Labour" election victory in 1997, she was considered to be one of "Blair's Babes".  

Ms. Abbott, the Mother of the House (longest-serving female MP), has been suspended for stating what is blatantly obvious.  

Go here to read more.  

Diane Abbott, the first Black woman ever to be elected to the House of Commons, is one of the achievers I interviewed in Black Success Stories.  

 

Diane Abbott MP on Free Speech

Diane Abbott MP on The Wright Stuff talked about free speech and "political correctness" this morning.  

Matthew Wright asked her if she feels free to say what she wants, and she said that she does, but as a politician she has to be careful about expressing her views.  What she would say in private to her friends is not what she would say in public.  (Isn't this true of all of us?)  

Diane Abbott, the first Black woman to be elected to the House of Commons, is one of the people I interviewed in Black Success Stories. 

You may recall she apologised for tweeting that "white people love playing divide and rule".  I personally do not think she should have apologised.  Click here to read more. 

Abbott also said that some words are always offensive; however, it is also a question of context.  

Meanwhile, Asian comedienne Shazia Mirza stated that what she says about herself and her community is one thing, but if someone else calls her a "Paki" - and they have - that would be a different thing.  

See also:  Diane Abbott MP on the Olympics.  

Diane Abbott MP on the Olympics

Diane Abbott MP said on The Wright Stuff this morning that Olympic torch-bearers should be able to sell their torches - after all, corporate sponsors are earning huge sums of money from the Olympics.  

Click here to read more about this and other Olympics news.  

Diane Abbott, the first Black woman to be elected to Parliament, is one of the people I interviewed in Black Success Stories.  If you want to know how to have a career in politics, you need to read it.  

Diane Abbott Says "Sorry" for Race Tweet

Diane Abbott MP has apologised for "any offence caused" by her Tweet that "white people love playing divide and rule".

It's not the first time she has been caught out by her remarks. I personally do not think she should have apologised. I may be in a minority of one (but I doubt it).

If we look at history, it is clear that "divide and conquer" is one of the tactics which has been employed time and time again by racist and colonialist regimes. To our shame as Black people, this tactic has been very successfully employed in turning us against each other.

While it is not wise to make generalisations about any race of people, we need to learn from this history, and we need politicians like Abbott who tell the truth - a rare thing in these times.

I interviewed Abbott, who was the first African Caribbean woman ever to be elected to the House of Commons, in my book Black Success Stories. Click here to order your copy.

This blog contains hundreds of Black history resources. If you type “Black history” into the search box, you can access them.

Please leave your comments below. Thanks.