The representation for ethnic minorities in Parliament started in 1987, with four ethnic minorities being elected into parliament, following the statement by the Home Affairs Select Committee in 1981. Diane Abbott was among them, who is now a prominent figure within the left of the Labour party, as a former member of the shadow cabinet. All of these were Labour members. Labour have had significantly higher minority parliamentary candidates in comparison with the Conservative party; since 1987 they have had 46 MPs and the Conservatives have had 22.