A public statement in defence of Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott MP.

Defend Black Women

 We write in defence of Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott MP in the light of recent sustained attacks by sections of the media and politicians on the first and longest serving black woman MP in British politics.

We note the misogyny and racism of some of her critics and state for the record that Diane Abbott MP remains one of the most popular politicians within black and ethnic minority communities and her own constituency residents of Hackney North & Stoke Newington. It should be noted that since her groundbreaking election in 1987, her constituents representing one of the most diverse areas of the country have gone on to re-elect Diane with ever increasing electoral majorities.

Our general impression is that there has been heavy reporting on trivial issues with regards to Diane Abbott MP to create a moral panic about her leading position in government, supported by some sections of the media and some right wing politicians, who seem intent on unfairly denigrating one of Britain's most high-profile black women politicians.

Media comments on her recent illness, the attempt by David Davies MP to sexually assault Diane in Parliament and the deluge of online denigration and racist abuse Diane has suffered are unprecedented in  their offensiveness, scale and depth.

We welcome the suspension of Conservative Councillor Alan Permain, the deputy chairman of the South Ribble Conservative Association by the Conservative Party after he retweeted an utterly despicable image portraying Diane Abbott MP as an ape wearing lipstick.

We believe the Prime Minister Theresa May, needs to go further and offer a public apology to Ms Abbott for the racist abuse she suffered from an elected member of the Conservative Party and to permanently exclude Mr Permain from the Conservative Party.

We are deeply concerned, that despite reporting serious threats of violence and being subjected to extreme racist intimidation, the Metropolitan Police Services appears to have learned no lessons from the tragic murder of Jo Cox MP.  We call upon the London Mayor Sadiq Khan to launch an investigation into the apparent failure of the police to investigate these reported incidents. We are deeply concerned for the safety of Ms Abbott and that of her staff.

These facts taken together with the wider contexts of rising levels of racist and religious attacks in post Brexit Britain should constitute an anathema to all those in support of democracy and human rights.

We stand with Diane Abbott MP and call upon all those who oppose racism and sexism in public life to join with us.

Signed, 

BARAC UK

Co Chairs Zita Holbourne and Lee Jasper

Chair of Society of Black Lawyers  

Dr Peter Herbert OBE

Operation Black Vote 

David Weaver

Blaksox

Mr Viv Ahmun and Ms Pat Lamour

Momentum Black Caucus

Prof Cecile Wright Chair of and Mr Kingsley Abrahams General Secretary 

Councilor Ms Claudia Webbe - Islington Council. And Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party

BARAC UK

Co Chairs Zita Holbourne and Lee Jasper

Chair of Society of Black Lawyers 

Dr Peter Herbert OBE

Blaksox

Mr Viv Ahmun and Ms Pat Lamour

Momentum Black Caucus

Prof Cecile Wright Chair of and Mr Kingsley Abrams General Secretary 

Councilor Ms Claudia Webbe - Islington Council. And Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party

Black Social Work Network

Chair Alexander Macrae

Anthony Robinson

Human Rights & Equality Consultancy