Diane Abbott: the left-wing rebel who was part of the ‘awkward squad’
For more than 40 years, Diane Abbott has been a totemic figure on the Labour left – and a thorn in the side of successive party leaders.
In 1987, she made history when she was elected as Britain’s first black woman MP – and in the decades that followed she has rarely been far from controversy.
Over the years, she has been a passionate and outspoken supporter of causes ranging from women’s rights and racism to working-class issues.
During the years, she was part of the “awkward squad” of serial rebels – defying the whips to vote against on civil rights, university tuition fees and the Iraq War.
