London · England · 77,812Boundary · 2023

Hackney North & Stoke Newington

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Dispatch
Apr 2026

A safe Lab seat, won with 59% of the vote in 2024. Centred on Hackney. Population 106,857, notably young (median age 32 vs 41 nationally), highly educated (50% degree-holders). 6,465 businesses.

Sitting as an independent after a prolonged dispute with Labour over her suspension, Diane Abbott's most notable recent parliamentary action was backing the Labour government on the Victims and Courts Bill in March 2026 -- voting five times to reject Lords amendments alongside the government. This places her firmly on the government's side on criminal justice legislation despite holding no party whip, and marks a clear divergence from other independents who tend to oppose the government on parliamentary scrutiny grounds.

Abbott's voting record reveals a striking pattern for an independent: she aligns with the government's agenda at a rate her own data shows is 70 percentage points above the independent average. She votes consistently against tax increases at 0% and against business interests at 0%, and shows very low alignment on civil liberties and victims' rights measures. Her 66% participation rate is below the Commons average. Speech activity has been limited -- nine contributions across four debates since the last election, touching on health, social care, and the economy, with her last recorded speech in October 2025. She opposed the 2025 welfare reforms and spoke in defence of disabled people, which received local coverage in the Hackney Citizen.

308
Commons votes
This parliament
£33k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
77.8k
Electorate
2024 GE

Lab held for 5 consecutive elections.

Current Member of Parliament

Diane Abbott

Diane Abbott

Independent

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.

Notable Votes

MPs voted on a Conservative proposal (New Clause 19) to require the government to review raising the digital age of consent for social media data processing from 13 to 16, rather than implementing the change directly. The Liberal Democrats had a separate clause (New Clause 1) that would have made the change immediately, but the Conservatives argued a review was needed first to address implementation challenges like age verification.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

MPs voted on whether to raise the age at which children can consent to social media platforms processing their personal data from 13 to 16, as part of the Data (Use and Access) Bill. The government opposed the amendment, preferring a more comprehensive approach rather than piecemeal changes.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

MPs voted on whether to reject a Lords amendment to the Victims and Courts Bill that would have created a new statutory duty on the government to notify victims and help them apply to compensation schemes out of time. The government argued the duty was duplicative and confusing, preferring to develop their own approach; the opposition said the Lords change would strengthen victims' rights.

MP voted YesAgainst party majority

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Voting at a Glance

A safe Lab seat, won with 59% of the vote in 2024. Centred on Hackney. Population 106,857, notably young (median age 32 vs 41 nationally), highly educated (50% degree-holders). 6,465 businesses.

2024 General Election

§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Abbott’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.308 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Abbott has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Economy
69
Taxation
57
Employment
37
Crime & Policing
36
Welfare and Benefits
24
Housing
19
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Data (Use and Access) Bill Report Stage: New Clause 1907 May 2025
No
Data (Use and Access) Bill Report Stage: New Clause 207 May 2025
No
Victims and Courts Bill: motion to disagree with Lords Amendment 625 Mar 2026 · free vote
Aye
§ 08The local picture.9 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
CazenovePatrick Pinkerton1,974Labour P
ClissoldFliss Premru1,740Labour P
ClissoldFrank Baffour1,869Labour P
ClissoldSade Etti2,188Labour P
Hackney DownsAlastair Binnie-Lubbock1,667Green Pa
Hackney DownsMichael Desmond1,823Labour P
Hackney DownsSem Moema1,748Labour P
Kings ParkAli Sadek1,726Labour P
Kings ParkLynne Troughton1,739Labour P
Kings ParkSharon Patrick1,948Labour P
LeabridgeDeniz Oguzkanli1,732Labour P
LeabridgeIan Rathbone1,802Labour P
Population (2021 Census)
106,857
Electorate 77,812 · 2024 register
Median income
£32,900
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
32.4%
England average 20.0%
Schools
56
24 primary · 6 secondary
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