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Guest editor Lenny Henry brings us stories of black Britons who have broken through racial barriers to become pioneers in their field of work.

Dianne Abbott, elected to the Commons in 1987, told the Today programme: "It was astonishing walking into parliament for the first time. It was a very very male and elderly and white environment".

"When I first became an MP it wasn't just that they didn't have black members of parliament, you didn't have black secretaries or black policemen or black people working in the cafeteria".

"It was a shock for parliamentarians".

Dianne Abbott added that Speaker Weatherill purposely invited fellow black MP, Bernie Grant, to his office for a glass of port.

Since this broadcast the family of Speaker Weatherill have told the Today programme every new MP was invited to have a drink with him.

First broadcast Today programme 30 December 2014.