Famous quotes
Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,158,269 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
EnglishItalianoPolskiעבריתFrançaisPortuguêsفارسیEspañol中文РусскийDeutschالعربيةहिन्दी日本語ΕλληνικάLatina
Diane Abbott
37 quotes
“Ireland is our struggle. Every defeat of the British state is a victory for all of us. A defeat in Northern Ireland would be a defeat indeed.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 1983 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Comment from c. 1983 quoted on The Andrew Marr Show (28 May 2017), as cited in "Diane Abbott refuses to say she 'regrets' calling for IRA to defeat British state", The Independent (28 May 2017).
“You have to start from an understanding that all white people are racist.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 1985 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: From an interview, as cited in "Constructing Alliances", Socialist Action (15 November 1985), p. 5
“Ever since my colleagues and I have been in the house, there have been a series of incidents that give rise to concern. Our visitors are sometimes treated less than politely and deliberately misled … Visitors and we ourselves have been jostled. We have been challenged by attendants as to our identity in an unsubtle attempt to embarrass us. These occurrences are too frequent and have been going on for too long.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 1988 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Letter drafted by Abbott sent to the parliamentary authorities (April 1988), as cited in "How Diane Abbott fought racism – and her own party – to become Britain’s first black female MP", The Guardian (24 September 2024)…
“Being an MP is the sort of job all working-class parents want for their children — clean, indoors and no heavy lifting.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 1994 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The Independent (18 January 1994).
“I am surprised that they chose to bring in blonde, blue-eyed girls from Finland, instead of nurses from the Caribbean who know the language and understand British culture and institutions. [...] Are Finnish girls, who may never have met a black person before, let alone touched one, best suited to nurse in multicultural Hackney?”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 1996 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On the recruitment of Finnish nurses in Britain from an article in the Hackney Gazette, as cited in "Abbott denies attack on nurses was racist", The Herald (Glasgow, 28 November 1996)
“On balance Mao did more good than harm.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2008 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: On BBC One's This Week during a debate over who was the history's worst dictator. "Diane Abbott did say that Chairman Mao did more good than harm" Full Fact (February 2008).
“I’m a West Indian mum and West Indian mums will go to the wall for their children.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2010 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: I sent my son to private school so he wouldn't end up in a gang" Mirror (21 June 2010).
“I think the public sector cuts have the potential to set back race relations and black and ethnic minority communities by a generation.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2010 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Cuts could damage race relations, warns Diane Abbott" BBC News (14 September 2010).
“White people love playing ‘divide & rule’. We should not play their game.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2012 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Twitter post reproduced in The Daily Telegraph (5 January 2012).
“I put being a mother ahead of being a politician.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2012 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Profile: Diane Abbott" BBC News (5 January 2012).
“Of course, sex is great. We don't have to pretend otherwise. But people shouldn't feel victimised by a pornified culture and girls shouldn't be forced to do things they don't feel comfortable with.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: British culture 'increasingly pornified'" BBC News (22 January 2013).
“There is a crisis of masculinity in Britain because of the pressures rapid economic and social change have placed on masculine identity. A generation of men are in transit and unclear of their social role. They are also under pressure to live up to pornified ideals.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2013 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott to warn of British 'masculinity crisis'" BBC News (15 May 2013).
“If you want people to participate and be interested, part of that is to have a political class that looks like the population as a whole.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2014 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott in Jersey for Women in Politics talk" BBC News (1 July 2014).
“When I had been at primary school, I was very good at writing essays. It was a big thing. My essays were so good they would get pinned up on the wall and read out to the rest of the class”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: My struggles and triumphs" BBC News (2 December 2016).
“I want power. I suppose that's the story of my life - seeking power.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: My struggles and triumphs" BBC News (2 December 2016).
“I'm in politics to be a voice for people who don't have a voice.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: My struggles and triumphs" BBC News (2 December 2016).
“There's no question women politicians get a level of abuse online which men don't get. New media and the anonymity has unleashed a really quite violent misogyny which I didn't see when I started in politics, although consistently women always get more severe abuse in the media than men.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2016 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: My struggles and triumphs" BBC News (2 December 2016).
“I respect the result of the referendum and no-one wanted to thwart it in a perverse kind of way. But we need to be clear, this is not a Tony Benn Brexit, this is Donald Trump Brexit, and it's got a very ugly side.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: No 10 plays down House of Lords abolition warning over Brexit" BBC News (9 February 2017).
“I receive racist and sexist abuse online on a daily basis. I have had rape threats, death threats, and am referred to routinely as a bitch and/or nigger, and am sent horrible images on Twitter”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Female MP abuse 'puts women off politics' says Diane Abbott" BBC News (15 February 2017).
“Sexism towards female MPs is sadly still commonplace”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Female MP abuse 'puts women off politics' says Diane Abbott" BBC News (15 February 2017).
“I do know my figures”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott says she 'misspoke' on Labour's police policy" BBC News (2 May 2017).
“I think politicians complaining about the media is like sailors complaining about the weather.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: "'I'm back to fighting fitness'" BBC News (20 June 2017).
“I think that's what we were referencing when we talked about easy movement [of workers after the UK has left the EU's single market] - less bureaucracy; it's good for migrants but it's also good for business”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: Listen to CBI and NHS' on Brexit migration" BBC News (17 December 2017).
“The health service, they're very worried about a collapse in the number of EU migrants coming here. Social care would be in a terrible position.... finance, education. The reality is that business, the CBI, the Institute of Directors, but also health, education and social care; they say that they need these European migrants and we have to listen to them.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: Listen to CBI and NHS' on Brexit migration" BBC News (17 December 2017).
“I will argue for the right of the electorate to vote on any deal that is finally agreed.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: Listen to CBI and NHS' on Brexit migration" BBC News (17 December 2017).
“The Labour Party doesn't support a second referendum”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2017 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott: Listen to CBI and NHS' on Brexit migration" BBC News (17 December 2017).
“We don't want to see the break-up of families from the EU in the way we currently do for non-EU families.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Labour vows to end 'heartbreaking' deportation rules" BBC News (21 February 2018).
“In a global world, we need migration and migrants. They should not be subjected to a hostile environment.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Labour vows to end 'heartbreaking' deportation rules" BBC News (21 February 2018).
“The disproportionate use of force is clearly discriminatory. This is not a recipe for good police-community relations.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Met Police 'use force more often' against black people" BBC News (24 May 2018).
“Migrants from outside the EU should be treated with the same fairness as EU migrants after Brexit.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott unveils Labour's new immigration policy" BBC News (13 September 2018).
“The referendum vote will be honoured and we will come out of the EU next spring”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Brexit vote will be honoured, says Diane Abbott" BBC News (23 November 2018).
“[We will table an amendment to reject the deal and] prevent the chaos of the UK crashing out of the EU”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2018 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Brexit: Security minister Ben Wallace warns of no-deal risk" BBC News (29 November 2018).
“I hope ex-members will continue to work with Labour on issues like homelessness, the benefit system, the NHS and most of all fighting this Tory Brexit”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Labour and Conservatives could see more MP exits" BBC News (21 February 2019).
“The British people and British workers are paying a big price for chaotic Brexit”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Diane Abbott joins fight to save Honda car plant" BBC News (23 March 2019).
“Another vote would be the democratic thing to do to move Brexit forward.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Brexit: Labour still split over further referendum" BBC News (28 May 2019).
“[Remaining in the EU would be the] best option for the country and my constituents”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2019 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Jeremy Corbyn refuses to echo allies' Brexit position" BBC News (20 August 2019).
“Numbers are a polite way of expressing hostility to migration as a whole.”
Diane Abbott (born 1953) first seen 2024 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Immigration: How British Politics Failed, BBC documentary, episode 1 (2024).