Editing Diane Abbott (section)

==Political positions==
Abbott has a record of differing from some party policies, voting against the [[Iraq War]],<ref name="tcs.cam.ac.uk">{{cite web |last=O'Leary |first=Naomi |date=1 May 2012 |url=http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/interviews/0008982-diane-abbott-cambridge-was-the-making-of-me.html |title=Diane Abbott – 'Cambridge was the making of me' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714155445/http://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/interviews/0008982-diane-abbott-cambridge-was-the-making-of-me.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead |work=[[The Cambridge Student]]}}</ref> opposing [[ID cards]] and campaigning against the [[Trident (UK nuclear programme)#Renewal|renewal of Britain's Trident nuclear weapons]].<ref name="Riddell">{{Cite news |last=Riddell |first=Mary |date=16 June 2010 |title=Diane Abbott: 'It's very lonely being a single mother' |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/7833158/Diane-Abbott-Its-very-lonely-being-a-single-mother.html |url-status=dead |access-date=2 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205191521/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/7833158/Diane-Abbott-Its-very-lonely-being-a-single-mother.html |archive-date=5 February 2011}}</ref><ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news |date=9 June 2010 |title=Profile: Diane Abbott |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10276583 |url-status=live |access-date=20 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180927220036/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10276583 |archive-date=27 September 2018}}</ref>

===Abortion rights===
Abbott supported a number of amendments to the [[Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008|Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill]] (now Act) that favoured [[abortion rights]]<ref name="Galbraith">{{cite web |last=Galbraith |first=Rebecca |date=9 March 2009 |title=Harriet Harman shouldn't be blogging on International Women's Day – she's suppressed women's rights for 12 years |url=https://labourlist.org/2009/03/harriet-harman-shouldnt-be-blogging-on-international-womens-day-shes-suppressed-womens-rights-for-12-years/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316023823/https://labourlist.org/2009/03/harriet-harman-shouldnt-be-blogging-on-international-womens-day-shes-suppressed-womens-rights-for-12-years/ |archive-date=16 March 2018 |access-date=16 March 2018 |publisher=[[LabourList]]}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Watt |first=Nicholas |date=21 October 2008 |title=Harman to block Commons votes on liberalising abortion laws |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/oct/21/health-health1 |url-status=live |access-date=16 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317165027/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/oct/21/health-health1 |archive-date=17 March 2018}}</ref> (along with [[Katy Clark]] MP and [[John McDonnell]] MP)<ref>{{cite news |date=23 July 2008 |title=MPs pushing abortion rights in NI |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7520856.stm |url-status=live |access-date=16 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626103827/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7520856.stm |archive-date=26 June 2018}}</ref> – including in 2008 leading on the NC30 Amendment of the Abortion Act 1967: Application to Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite web |author=Table Office |publisher=House of Commons |title=House of Commons Amendments |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/120/amend/pbc1202210m.3272-3278.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317102117/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/120/amend/pbc1202210m.3272-3278.html |archive-date=17 March 2018 |access-date=16 March 2018 |website=publications.parliament.uk}}</ref> Writing for ''The Guardian'', Abbott argued that

{{blockquote|When it comes to the right to choose, women in Northern Ireland are second-class citizens. They are denied the NHS treatment and funding for abortion that is permitted to every other woman in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abbott |first=Diane |date=23 July 2008 |title=Diane Abbott: A right to choose? Not in Northern Ireland |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/jul/23/northernireland.law |url-status=live |access-date=27 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505134832/https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/jul/23/northernireland.law |archive-date=5 May 2018}}</ref>}}

It was reported that the Labour Government at the time (in particular [[Harriet Harman]]<ref name="Galbraith" /><ref name=":0" />) asked MPs not to table these pro-abortion amendments (and at least until [[Third Reading]]) and then allegedly used parliamentary mechanisms in order to prevent a vote accordingly.<ref name="Galbraith" /> Speaking in the debate in Parliament, Abbott criticised these "manoeuvres":

{{blockquote|I speak against the programme motion because—and I say this with no pleasure—it and the order of discussion appear to be a shabby manoeuvre by Ministers to stop the full debate of some very important matters. I appreciate that Ministers did not intend this to be a Bill about abortion. I am open to the argument that we should have another piece of legislation that would enable a full debate on most of the matters in relation to abortion that have been raised as amendments and new clauses to the Bill, but there is a special case for debating and voting on the particular new clause that I tabled to extend the 1967 Act to Northern Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 22 Oct 2008 (pt 0007) |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm081022/debtext/81022-0007.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180528133717/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm081022/debtext/81022-0007.htm |archive-date=28 May 2018 |access-date=27 May 2018 |website=publications.parliament.uk}}</ref>}}

===Saudi Arabia===
Abbott criticised [[David Cameron]]'s government for its continued support for [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen|Saudi Arabian-led military intervention in Yemen]]. In March 2016, Abbott wrote: "over the past year alone, Britain has sold around £6bn worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, whose campaign in Yemen is targeting civilians – 191 such attacks have collectively been reported by the UN, HRW and Amnesty."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abbott |first=Diane |date=25 March 2016 |title=British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are immoral and illegal |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/25/british-arms-sales-saudi-arabia-immoral-illegal-yemen |url-status=live |access-date=2 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709063705/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/25/british-arms-sales-saudi-arabia-immoral-illegal-yemen |archive-date=9 July 2016}}</ref>

===European Union===
Abbott voted against the [[Maastricht Treaty]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Williams |first=Zoe |author-link=Zoe Williams |date=25 September 2020 |title=Diane Abbott: 'Jeremy Corbyn did his best to be nice to people, and they weren't nice back' |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/25/diane-abbott-i-refuse-to-make-white-peoples-racism-my-problem-because-it-would-destroy-you |access-date=8 April 2021 |website=The Guardian}}</ref>

Abbott campaigned and supported the Labour Party's official preference for the remain campaign in the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Abbott |first=Diane |date=24 June 2018 |title=The dispossessed voted for Brexit. Jeremy Corbyn offers real change |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/24/brexit-dispossessed-jeremy-corbyn-diane-abbott-new-left |url-status=live |access-date=27 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180428093853/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/24/brexit-dispossessed-jeremy-corbyn-diane-abbott-new-left |archive-date=28 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=22 June 2016 |title=EU vote: Where the cabinet and other MPs stand |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35616946 |url-status=live |access-date=27 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171003020914/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35616946 |archive-date=3 October 2017}}</ref> In December 2016, she told [[Andrew Marr]] that Labour policy was to respect the result of the referendum.<ref>{{cite web |title=Diane Abbott on Labour, Brexit and immigration - BBC News |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgLGg4Q0bBM |date=11 December 2016| access-date=1 June 2022 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

In January 2017, Abbott stated that Labour could oppose the bill to trigger [[Withdrawal from the European Union|Article 50]] if Labour's amendments were rejected.<ref>{{cite news |last=Merrick |first=Rob |date=27 January 2017 |title=Labour may oppose Article 50 Bill if amendments rejected, Diane Abbott says |work=Independent |location=London |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-oppose-brexit-bill-article-50-legislation-amendments-thrown-out-diane-abbot-shadow-home-a7548731.html |url-status=live |access-date=30 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103101441/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-oppose-brexit-bill-article-50-legislation-amendments-thrown-out-diane-abbot-shadow-home-a7548731.html |archive-date=3 November 2017}}</ref> She abstained from voting on the second reading of the [[European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017|Brexit Bill]], after becoming ill hours before the vote,<ref>{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Laura |date=1 February 2017 |title=Diane Abbott fails to vote in Brexit Bill debate after going home with a migraine |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/02/diane-abbott-fails-vote-brexit-bill-debate-going-home-migraine/ |url-status=live |access-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202111618/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/02/diane-abbott-fails-vote-brexit-bill-debate-going-home-migraine/ |archive-date=2 February 2017}}</ref> and later voted in favour at the third and final reading. She said she did this out of party loyalty and respect for democracy.<ref>{{cite web |last=Simons |first=Ned |date=9 February 2017 |title=Diane Abbott Explains Why She Voted For Brexit |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/diane-abbott-explains-she-voted-for-brexit-out-of-loyalty-to-jeremy-corbyn_uk_589c2986e4b0505b1f5a996f |access-date=1 June 2022 |website=HuffPost UK}}</ref> In December 2017, Abbott did not support holding a [[Proposed referendum on the Brexit withdrawal agreement|second referendum]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Stewart |first=Heather |date=17 December 2017 |title=Diane Abbott: Labour does not support a second EU referendum |url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/17/diane-abbott-labour-does-not-support-a-second-eu-referendum |access-date=1 June 2022 |website=The Guardian}}</ref> saying in 2018 that the UK would vote to leave again in a hypothetical poll.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Littlejohn |first=Georgina |date=24 November 2018 |title=Diane Abbott says the UK would vote Leave again if there was a second referendum |url=https://inews.co.uk/news/brexit/diane-abbott-says-uk-vote-leave-again-second-referendum-226854 |access-date=1 June 2022 |work=i}}</ref> She supported the holding of one following the [[2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|2019 European Parliament elections]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |date=28 May 2019 |title=Diane Abbott: second Brexit referendum is democratic thing to do |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/28/diane-abbott-second-brexit-referendum-democratic |access-date=1 June 2022 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> She consistently voted against the [[withdrawal agreement]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Sleigh |first=Sophia |date=16 January 2019 |title=All but eight London MPs voted against Theresa May's vision of Brexit |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/brexit-deal-vote-all-but-eight-london-mps-voted-against-theresa-may-s-vision-of-leaving-of-the-eu-a4040546.html |access-date=1 June 2022 |website=Evening Standard}}</ref>

=== Israel and Palestine conflict ===
During the [[2021 Israel–Palestine crisis]], Abbott spoke at a Free Palestine rally in London condemning the [[Israeli occupation of Palestine]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Tweet from Diane Abbott MP |url=https://twitter.com/hackneyabbott/status/1393913206108721155 |access-date=19 May 2021 |website=Twitter}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bedigan |first=Mike |date=15 May 2021 |title=Nine officers injured as missiles thrown after pro-Palestine demo in London |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/london-diane-abbott-israeli-jeremy-corbyn-metropolitan-police-b935389.html |access-date=19 May 2021 |website=Evening Standard}}</ref>

===Windrush scandal===
Abbott wrote to [[Sajid Javid]] demanding that he publish the figures for people caught up in the [[Windrush scandal]], and also tell how many Commonwealth citizens lost their jobs, became homeless and were prevented from using public services. She wrote that "warm words are not enough", and maintained that transparency was needed to give the Windrush generation confidence ministers have come to grips with what is 
{{quote|...{{nbsp}}clearly a systemic problem at the Home Office. In order to make good on your promise to do right by the Windrush generation and begin to right this historic wrong, you must stop covering up the extent of the Windrush crisis and publish these figures. (...) It is unacceptable and frankly scandalous that the extent of the Windrush crisis is yet to be revealed and that the home secretary is still to publish these figures. As the Windrush scandal shows, the hostile environment inevitably catches our fellow citizens who are legally entitled to be here in its net. The government now needs to stop covering up the true human cost of the hostile environment.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bulman |first=May |date=21 June 2018 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/windrush-crisis-scandal-figures-home-office-withheld-deportations-diane-abbott-a8408451.html |title=Government urged to 'come clean' on scale of Windrush crisis as figures still withheld two months on |work=Independent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621194101/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/windrush-crisis-scandal-figures-home-office-withheld-deportations-diane-abbott-a8408451.html |archive-date=21 June 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>}}

In August 2018, Abbott complained that there were still delays in settling Windrush claims, saying: "From the Windrush scandal to immigration detention, to these outrageous delays – it is long past time that the government takes responsibility for leaving people distressed and destitute."<ref>{{cite web|last=Marsh |first=Sarah |date=10 August 2018 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/10/windrush-citizens-still-waiting-for-cases-to-be-resolved |title=Windrush citizens still waiting for cases to be resolved |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811122644/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/10/windrush-citizens-still-waiting-for-cases-to-be-resolved |archive-date=11 August 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Comments about Mao Zedong===
In 2008, during a BBC One ''[[This Week&nbsp;(2003 TV programme)|This Week]]'' interview between Abbott, [[Michael Portillo]] and [[Andrew Neil]], Abbott said about the Chinese leader [[Mao Zedong]]: "I suppose some people will judge that on balance Mao did more good than harm... He led his country from feudalism, he helped to defeat the Japanese and he left his country on the verge of the great economic success they are having now." She finished by saying: "I was just putting the case for Mao."<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 November 2015 |title=Diane Abbott Once Argued That 'On Balance Mao Did More Good Than Harm' |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/11/27/diane-abbott-said-on-balance-mao-did-more-good-than-harm_n_8660910.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112306/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/11/27/diane-abbott-said-on-balance-mao-did-more-good-than-harm_n_8660910.html |archive-date=29 December 2017 |access-date=29 December 2017 |website=Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Chu |first=Ben |date=29 November 2015 |title=After the little red book was flourished in Parliament, should Mao be rehabilitated? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/after-the-little-red-book-was-flourished-in-parliament-should-mao-be-rehabilitated-a6753536.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230172054/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/after-the-little-red-book-was-flourished-in-parliament-should-mao-be-rehabilitated-a6753536.html |archive-date=30 December 2017 |access-date=29 January 2018 |website=Independent}}</ref>

===Assisted dying===

In November 2024, Abbott said she would not support [[Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill]] on assisted dying for terminally ill people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abbott |first=Diane |date=7 November 2024 |title=I do not share the reported enthusiasm for the Assisted Dying Bill. |url=https://x.com/hackneyabbott/status/1854505397576466799?s=46&t=vs8FmfHt1YLwA3LuC3LKWQ |website=Twitter}}</ref> She also criticised the amount of time available for scrutiny of the bill, brought by Labour backbencher [[Kim Leadbeater]]. She co-wrote a piece in [[The Guardian]] with [[Father of the House (United Kingdom)|Father of the House]] Conservative MP [[Edward Leigh]] opposing the [[Assisted suicide in the United Kingdom|assisted suicide]] bill.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Abbott |first1=Diane |last2=Leigh |first2=Edward |date=20 November 2024 |title=Our politics could not be more different – but we're united against this dangerous assisted dying bill |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/20/politics-dangerous-assisted-dying-bill-law-illegal |access-date=20 November 2024 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>