News

To be a conscious African or Muslim and to live in Europe is to inhabit a dual consciousness. That reality is informed by our historical and contemporary experience of European racism and bigotry. That double consciousness defines our reality. If we are told to look up we invariably look down, when we are told ‘he was carrying a gun when shot by the police; or that ‘ the job has already gone’ we look for their lies and are rarely disappointed.

Greetings to you all!

A new review of electoral law has led Jenny Watson, Chair of the Electoral Commission to say: `The current rules on standing for election are complex, out of date and difficult for candidates to navigate.`

The Electoral Commission issued a report reviewing criteria for candidates including the removal of the `ability to pay` criterion.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2901681/Hero-police-officer-exec...

It’s difficult to write about such shocking news so close to London, so close to the ideals and values that we hold dearly. But yesterday’s cold blooded massacre which killed 10 staff working for the satire magazine Charlie Hebdo and two police officers including a Muslim officer in a Paris suburb brutally reminds about what we have and what we cherish has to be constantly fought for.

Our first thoughts must go out to the families and the unbearable pain they must feel about losing loved ones to such a heinous crime.

Many hoped, including myself, that National Health Service, without doubt the Jewel in the United Kingdom crown with its philosophy of caring for those who need it from the ‘cradle to the grave’ would be somewhat immune from the worst aspects of racist electioneering.

After all, walk into the majority of urban hospitals and many doctors' surgeries and you’ll find those wonderful careers and auxiliary staff such as; orderlies, nurses, technicians, cooks, cleaners, doctors and surgeons are from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

In an article written for Yesterday' s Guardian, Mayoral hopeful David Lammy takes on the toxic immigration debate head on. Lammy states the capital can cope with more immigration not less. For him getting greater access to opportunity for all Londoners will serve a metropolis best.

Listen to the doomsayers, the scaremongers and the Farage brigade, and you would be forgiven for thinking that London is full. Our capital, just like our country, they say, can’t cope with any more people.

A number of Black activist groups in the USA have started a movement that combines social media and old fashioned protest to draw attention to the police killings of Black Americans.

The hashtag #blackbrunch is being used by protesters who interrupt mid day meals at several restaurants. They recite the names of African Americans killed by police, security guards or vigilantes.

The purpose of Black Brunch is to take the message of the number of Black Americans being killed to a new demographic group - wealthy and predominately white.

It was interesting to hear Dr Jennifer van Heerde-Hudson from University College London's Parliamentary Candidate UK Project on BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour (4 January) assess the backgrounds of candidates chosen to stand in seats for the 2015 general election. The podcast is here.

Back in the 1960’s the UK was awash with the type of racial hostility and violence that even today makes people shudder: Excrement through doors, racial abuse on a daily basis, and threats of violence common practice. Thankfully those days have gone, unless that is you live in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Over the past few days an African pensioner has been forced to leave his house after racists paint-bombed his home, along with threats that he must leave.