Diane Abbott, who made history as Britain’s first Black woman MP, talks to Afua Hirsch about her new memoir telling the story of our nation through her eyes.
From challenging expectations as a bright and restless child of the Windrush generation to making history as the first elected Black female MP in the UK, Diane Abbott has had her share of barriers to break down.
A Woman Like Me takes readers through Abbott’s incredible journey, painting a vivid picture of growing up in 1960s North London with her working-class Jamaican parents, before entering the hallowed halls of Cambridge University to study history.
Ever since the day she first walked through the House of Commons as the first Black woman MP, she has been a fearless and vocal champion for the causes that have made Britain what it is today, whether it’s increasing access to education for Black children and speaking out against the Iraq war, or advocating tirelessly for refugees and immigrants.
A unique figure in British public life, Abbott has often had nothing but the courage of her convictions to carry her through incredibly hostile environments, from torrential abuse in the mainstream media and on social media, to being shunned by the political establishment, including by her own party.
Written with frankness and wry humour, A Woman Like Me is an inspirational account that celebrates how one woman succeeded against massive odds and built an extraordinary legacy.
Diane Abbott was born in London in 1953, to parents who were part of the Windrush generation. She has been the Member of Parliament for Hackney and Stoke Newington for more than 35 years. The first Black woman elected to Parliament, she is also the longest-serving Black MP in the House of Commons.
She is the founder of several initiatives, including London Schools and the Black Child, and Black Women Mean Business. For 12 years, she appeared as a regular contributor on the BBC’s political digest show This Week. A Woman Like Me is her first book.
Presented in association with the Black British Book Festival
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