Sheffield MP Olivia Blake discloses ADHD diagnosis after being branded "lazy and distracted" as a child in powerful Westminster speech

Olivia Blake, the Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam, said comments made to her as a child calling her lazy and disorganised “stick in my brain to this day and make me consider all my actions daily.”

Ms Blake was only diagnosed with the condition last year, and now takes medication which she says is “lifechanging.”

Speaking in a debate in Westminster Hall on special educational needs and children’s mental health, she said: “Lazy, distracted, too chatty, fidgety, failing to meet potential, disorganised and in disarray, those were all comments that were levelled at me as a child, and they stick in my brain to this day and make me consider all my actions daily.

“This has led to huge feelings of anxiety and depression—a feeling that I am always doing something wrong.

“I meet too many children whose stories are still the same: their needs are not recognised or are not severe enough to merit critical help, and they are stuck in the middle, reaching their potential in some subjects and failing in others.”

The NHS lists key symptoms as inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.

Adult women who have ADHD may find social occasions overwhelming and struggle to work in office environments, according to VeryWellMind.

Ms Blake was praised by other MPs contributing to the debate, including the SNP’s Lisa Cameron, who said: “The honourable member for Sheffield Hallam spoke from her heart about her personal experience.

“That is a very powerful thing to do in this House. She is a real champion for the screening of neurodivergent conditions.

“ Because of her own struggles, she has been a role model for so many. It is important that she uses her voice, as she has done so powerfully today.”