News

On the day we launched our national voter registration campaign it rained, and continued to rain for the next four hours. But it wasn’t nearly enough to dampen the spirits of the hundred or so individuals who turned up to support OBV's launch.

Giant golf umbrellas were handed so that those who attended could make their public declaration without getting drenched, that our communities demand to be listened to.

Launch of OBV eXpress: Windrush Square, Brixton, Lambeth SW2 1JF at 12 noon.

Tomorrow we begin to make history. It will be the start of our nationwide tour to target a more than a million people to engage in the 2015 elections and demand greater social and racial justice.

Earlier this week, it was announced that well-known union activist, Kate Osamor, won the Edmonton Labour candidacy. The other two candidates—Kate Anolue and Ayfer Orhan, of Nigerian and Turkish descent respectively made up an All- BME short list.

2015 is the year we celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta that sought to limit the overwhelming abuse of power by kings and princes. It was an effort the check the executive abuse of power by the privileged.

This year we also saw the release, some 50 years later, of the epic movie, Selma charting the events that lead to the ending of American Jim Crow. The fact that this film has not received an Oscar is a scandal and an issue I'll be returning too elsewhere.

Yesterday during the Chinese New Year celebrations in London’s China Town, Operation Black Vote collaborated with the British Chinese Project to raise awareness about voter registration and empower the UK’s Chinese communities to have a strong voice in May’s 2015 Election.

At the heart of the Black Britain’s spiritual capital, Windrush Sq, Brixton, OBV will launch its General Election voter registration campaign.

26th Feb 2015 at 12 Noon
Windrush Square
Brixton
SW2 1JF

The easiest way is online, but you’ll need you National insurance number (NI).

You can find your National Insurance number on your payslip, P45, P60, tax return, and it may be on any documentation regarding housing benefits and job centre plus documentation too.

Once you’ve got your National Insurance number click on to this site and it should take less than 5 minutes:

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Who can register to vote?

Last week the Guardian’s Sophie Heawood wrote a deeply honest article about perhaps one the most problematic issues around racism the paper has published for more than a decade: The denial that subtle forms of racism occur on a daily basis and that they have a dramatic effect on people’s lives.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31041839

Lester Holloway takes swipes at all the Party leaders in what he sees as the scramble for the crucial BME vote. His answer for real change seems to suggest that we need to wrestle democracy away from the leaders and ensure BME voters voices lead the debate for greater race equality

I’m fully expecting Home Office vans to tour the inner cities before the general election urging the public to report any suspicious politicians seen courting black communities.