In 1987 Diane Abbott became the first Black woman elected to Parliament. Ten years later, Oona King.
In 2005 I became the third.
That was the pace of progress until then.
International Women’s Day I reflect on the barriers Black women still face.
My article in @TheVoiceNews👇🏾
Happy International Women’s Day from all our team! 💪🏼❤️
On International Women’s Day, we pledge to continuing the work to build a more equal future and to empower women in every corner of our community, our country and our world.
Today we also celebrate women and girls across Hounslow and their contribution to our society and economy. 🙏🏽👏🏽#GiveToGain
#IWD2026 Today, we honour the power, brilliance, and resilience of our women 💜✨
This International Women’s Day, we are celebrating all Black women shaping our communities and making a significant contribution in their field.
We join the call true gender equality.
Lets give all women access, opportunity, credit and visibility.
Let’s celebrate and uplift all women! ✨✨
Happy International Women’s Day. 💐💜💜
#celebrateblackwomen #internationalwomensday #iwd2026
From right to left:
• Cllr Jacqui Burnett - our longest serving black Councillor 💜
• Cllr Maria Lovell (also 2nd black female Mayor and first African female Mayor) 💜
• Cllr Charmaine Isles 💜
Thanking all for their dedication to public service 💜
@LutonCouncil#IWD
#IWD2026
#GivetoGain
The last government failed sickle cell patients.
Now the Sickle Cell Day Unit at the Royal London Hospital faces trial closure.
This week, I asked ministers to deliver a national strategy for specialised sickle cell treatment.
Agree this is long overdue. The cohort of people affected have waited a long time for changes which was brought to light to the HO at the very begining. We will await the speed that this changes take to be implemented and how they contact those who are owed pension awards 🤷🏾♀️
SURVIVORS OF the Home Office’s Windrush Scandal will be able to access £600,000 in crucial support to claim the compensation.
The money has been made available under the second year of the three-year £1.5million Windrush Compensation Advocacy Support Fund https://t.co/65JVcOd4Gl
If the Home Office's Windrush Team are going to speed things up (and they've said this several times over several years - the scandal came to light in 2018) and deal with the issues that have long plagued the scheme, including occupational pensions and contributions for state pensions, this is a good outcome following years of campaigners and lawyers making these demands. That it's taken so long defines the way the cohort of Windrush victims are perceived. But for me, the most problematic issues concerning the scheme are the erroneous decisions, including the number of nil offers which are clearly wrong, and the number of low offers which are eventually increased but only after several reviews, sometimes taking 2 years. There is no point making quicker decisions which are wrong. Take your time, bring in qualified caseworkers and get the decision making right. And the bureaucracy!!! Agreeing that some claimants need medico legal reports and agreeing to pay for these is a good thing. Demanding three quotes from providers beforehand is unnecessary.
#WindrushScandal
NEW: Windrush families urged to trace lost Premium Bonds as £100m in prizes lies unclaimed
Premium Bonds were a trusted way that Black families saved for their children in the 1960s & 70s but lost paperwork & poor records mean many prizes remain unpaid.
https://t.co/3nEb882Fei
This event is designed for families and individuals affected by the Windrush Scandal to receive accurate information Saturday 31st January 9.30am @ The Legacy Centre of Excellence Birmingham B6 4UU. To confirm your free attendance email [email protected]
Excellent conference on reparations held yesterday at Friends House. Hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations, the conference theme, Delivering Justice Through Repair, was examined by community experts, lawyers, academics, media and organisations representing descendants of enslaved Africans and descendants of enslavers. There was so much to discuss with panels on restitution, education, winning the debate on reparations, legal strategies, racial justice, decolonising institutions, healing, economic repair and climate justice, that it was hard to choose which workshops to attend, and of course we ran out of time. Delighted that Leigh Day was once again a sponsor and we look forward to ongoing conversations and working in partnership with organisations and individuals to create a structure to assist with some of the Excellent work happing in the UK and across the globe.
Congratulations to Bell Ribiero Addy MP, her colleagues, and the @appg_ar secretariat.
#Reparations
Yesterday's reception at London's City Hall to mark Black History Month was epic. Hosts, Mayor Sadiq Khan & Deputy Mayor, Debbie Weeks Bernard, both celebrated the fact that London's diverse communities drives much of the talent which makes London one of the leading cities in the world. To the backdrop of ballet, a Windrush skit, music, great food & a phenomenal panel of young people chaired by journalist Nadine White, my favourite moment, beside being name dropped by the Mayor, was when he settled the Nigeria v Ghana Jollof wars by declaring that the best Jollof is to be found in London.
#BlackHistoryMonth2025
.@mayoroflondon marked #BlackHistoryMonth at his annual reception at City Hall last night. It was a fantastic celebration of the important contribution that Black Londoners have made to make London what it is today. Black history is our history.
Order Black History Month Magazine 2025 today! Join us in celebrating the theme “Standing Firm in Power and Pride” by helping us spread the message far and wide. Order your copies for schools, workplaces, and communities.
On now - UK Reparations Conference.
There is still time to participate IN PERSON or ONLINE from home, etc.
Register to get the Agenda plus all online links.
Catch the APA Chair, Lee Jasper after lunch at circa 14.45.
FREE
Register:-
https://t.co/MR32HOOcrT