What has Yvette Cooper ever done to deserve Diane Abbott’s job?

In the wake of Jeremy Corbyn’s triumph, Yvette Cooper is said to be eyeing up the position of Shadow Home Secretary in the upcoming reshuffle. This comes after resigning from the Shadow Cabinet almost two years ago, as a rebellious sign of discontent with Corbyn’s leadership. In 2016, Diane Abbott was appointed to serve in that role as the first Black politician to do so and has contributed vastly to Labour’s unprecedented comeback during the General Election. As such, we must question Cooper’s disregard of Diane’s achievements, and how this speaks to a culture of erasing, policing and silencing Black women.   Continue reading

Diane Abbott calls for ‘major review’ and ‘fundamental rethink’ of Prevent strategy

diane_68Yesterday evening Labour Home Secretary Diane Abbott called for a ‘major review’ and ‘fundamental rethink’ of the governments Prevent strategy. Abbott spoke at a meeting of the Students Not Suspects campaign, a joint initiative by the National Union of Students alongside activists from the NUT and UCU. She becomes the latest senior Labour figure to call on the policy to be reviewed, after her predecessor Andy Burnham and former Home Affairs Select Committee Chair Keith Vaz.

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Labour Assembly Against Austerity welcomes Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election

13087360_1086086401456278_2645037141153525946_nLabour Assembly Against Austerity, September 24 2016

Commenting on Jeremy Corbyn’s victory in the Labour Leadership election today, Lucy Anderson MEP, Vice-Chair of the Labour Assembly Against Austerity said:

“The Labour Assembly Against Austerity welcomes Jeremy Corbyn’s re-election as Labour leader, staking out how a Labour government would deliver a £500bn public investment programme to build our infrastructure, manufacturing, and new industries of the future, moving us to a low carbon economy, delivering good jobs and tackling the housing crisis. This is the credible – and transformative – economic strategy that Labour needs for General Election victory and will raise living standards in Britain.”

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The crisis in our homecare system is a source of national shame

Diane Abbott 2The UNISON trade union recently launched a new report which uses the voices of care workers – and those who rely on care – to clearly lay out the truth regarding the crisis that has engulfed the sector – a crisis that is not being addressed by the ideologically driven Tory government and its ruinous cuts agenda.

Entitled 15 Minutes of Shame: Stories from Britain’s Homecare Frontline UNISON describes the report as “a compilation of accounts that reveal how poverty pay, zero hour contracts, poor training and rushed visits is having a detrimental impact on vulnerable and elderly care users.” Continue reading