Independent MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington.
Sitting as an independent after her prolonged dispute with Labour, Diane Abbott made headlines in April 2026 by backing the cross-party motion to refer Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee over claims he misled Parliament on the Peter Mandelson appointment. Her most distinctive recent cluster of votes came in March 2026 on the Victims and Courts Bill, where she sided with the Labour government against Lords amendments on free court transcripts, victim notification duties, and support for bereaved families of Britons killed abroad — placing her with a party that withdrew the whip from her just two years ago.
Abbott votes in roughly half of all Commons divisions — below the typical rate — and aligns with the independent majority on about 70% of votes, making her a selective rather than tribal parliamentarian. Her 64 speeches since the 2024 election range across defence, crime, social care, and fiscal policy; she opposed the welfare reform bill on behalf of disabled constituents and has consistently voted against cuts to benefits. Her stance scores tell a clear story: she never backs tax cuts (0% anti-tax alignment) and always supports progressive taxation (100%), but scores just 11% on tough-on-crime measures and 15% on victims' rights votes — the latter explained partly by her pro-government stance on the Victims and Courts Bill.
The Hackney North context matters here. Abbott has represented the seat since 1987, becoming Britain's first Black female MP, and local news coverage from 2024 shows strong constituent loyalty during her suspension battle with Labour. Recent 90-day news coverage spans 44 articles across culture, crime, and housing, though sentiment data yields no clear positive or negative signal. She holds no committee seats, limiting her formal scrutiny role.
The Rt Hon Ms Diane Abbott is the Independent MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, and has been an MP continually since 11 June 1987.
Top eight by total divisions voted, this parliament. Volume measures engagement, not direction — see Notable Votes for free-vote moments and rebellions.
Source · The Public Whip · Hansard
Moments where the whip was free, or where Abbott broke ranks. Free votes are the truer signal of personal stance.
| Date | Bill / motion | Vote | Whip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Mar 2026 | Victims and Courts Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 6 | Yes | Freevs party |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Victims and Courts Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 2 | Yes | Freevs party |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Victims and Courts Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 5 | Yes | Freevs party |
Source · Hansard
“Highlights racial disparities—black women three times more likely to die in pregnancy—and demands equity of treatment, not just more inquiries.”
“Notes Mandelson's 30-year history of requiring resignations for various controversies; questions why Starmer didn't ask questions given that known history.”
“Iran is a threat but Parliament must debate any further involvement in Trump's war, as occurred with Iraq.”
“Warns of Iraq parallels and constituents' unwillingness to be dragged into another war; acknowledges Iranian regime is horrible but demands protection from escalation.”
Abbott holds no select-committee seat this session. New 2024-intake MPs typically wait one term before being appointed.
| Department | Qs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 8 | 61.5% |
| Treasury | 2 | 15.4% |
| Department for Education | 1 | 7.7% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 1 | 7.7% |
| Ministry of Justice | 1 | 7.7% |
Media and Sport, how many public appointments her Department made between 1 January 2020 and 29 April 2026; and how many of those appointees were a) Black men and b) Black women, broken down by ethnic group.
The Cabinet Office and the Commissioner for Public Appointments publish annual data reports detailing public appointments made by government departments. These reports include data on various diversity metrics, including ethnic background. …read full →
Media and Sport, how many appointments to board-level roles in public bodies sponsored by her Department were made between 1 January 2020 and 29 April 2026; and how many of those appointees were Black a) men and
The Cabinet Office and the Commissioner for Public Appointments publish annual data reports detailing public appointments made by government departments. These reports include data on various diversity metrics, including ethnic background. …read full →
Media and Sport, whether her Department holds data on the gender and ethnicity of a) applicants, b) shortlisted candidates and c) successful candidates for public appointments; and if she will publish the number
The Cabinet Office and the Commissioner for Public Appointments publish annual data reports detailing public appointments made by government departments. These reports include data on various diversity metrics, including ethnic background. …read full →
Media and Sport, how many non-executive appointments were made to public bodies sponsored by her Department between 1 January 2020 and 29 April 2026; and how many of those appointees were a) Black men and b) Blac
The Cabinet Office and the Commissioner for Public Appointments publish annual data reports detailing public appointments made by government departments. These reports include data on various diversity metrics, including ethnic background. …read full →
Payment: £18,450 Payment for autobiography sales
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Role, work or services: Writing an autobiography
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Since December 2015, a trustee of the Diane Abbott Foundation, which works to ex Since December 2015, a trustee of the Diane Abbott Foundation, which works to excel and improve education. This is an unpaid role.
(Registe… |
Source · Members API · Last amended 8 Oct 2025
| Category | £ | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing | 261,250 | 96.2% |
| Office Costs | 10,312 | 3.8% |
| Total · 41 claims | 271,562 | 100% |
Source · IPSA · FY 24_25
Nothing tabled for Abbott on the published Order Paper this week.
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 24,355 | 59.5% | Won |
| 2019 | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 39,972 | 70.3% | Won |
| 2017 | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 42,265 | 75.1% | Won |
| 2015 | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 31,357 | 62.9% | Won |
| 2010 | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 25,553 | 55.0% | Won |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diane AbbottWON | Lab | 24,355 | 59.5 |
Showing the MP’s own row only. Full result table: see Hackney North and Stoke Newington →