Brittish Member of Parliament Diane Abbott

Deon P Green, Gleaner Writer

London, England:

Born of Jamaican parents from Smithville in Clarendon, British Member of Parliament Diane Abbott, yesterday reached a milestone in political history as she celebrated her 20th anniversary since becoming the United Kingdom’s first black female MP.

“I cannot believe that it is 20 years since I was first elected,” Ms. Abbott said in a release. “The years seem to have gone by in the twinkling of an eye. One of my proudest moments was election day in 1987. I was the first black woman ever elected to Parliament.”Ms. Abbott reminisced that, throughout the campaign period, people kept telling her she would not have been victorious.

Only two black women still

“When they announced the result in Hackney Town Hall it felt like a dream,” she said. “My mother was there at the count and she was ready to burst with pride. My biggest regret is that, after 20 years, there are still only two black women.”

Since that time, Ms. Abbott, who has represented the constituency of Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has become recognised as both an advocate for local issues and a staunch supporter of international campaigns.

Over the course of her political career she has spoken out against the Iraq war, stop and search powers, nuclear weapons and the Guantanamo Bay detention centres.

She has waged long-standing campaigns on black educational underachievement, gun crime, and gender and racial discrimination. She has since built a distinguished career as a parliamentarian, broadcaster and commentator.