News

The world’s largest democracy has voted. The results are in and there’s a seismic political change that will shake India to its core. The Hindu nationalist Narenda Modi and his  Bharatiya Janata party have won a huge victory. He is expected to have enough seats to not need coalition partners to form a Government.

Modi is a charismatic character who has reached the highest political office having come from a poor background selling tea at his railway station as a young boy.

Today’s New Statesmen

In his recent speeches and interventions, Ed Miliband has made it clear that reducing inequality will be the defining mission of any government he leads. Today, Sadiq Khan, one of Miliband's closest shadow cabinet allies, will argue that this goal will only be achieved with a comprehensive plan to tackle race inequality. The speech he will make this evening at Operation Black Vote is the most significant and radical delivered by any Labour figure on the subject in recent history.

Former police officer Marlene Ellis explores our multiple identities. It's a thought-provoking piece which raises many questions about how we define ourselves in a fast-moving, ever-changing global village. I hope we see more writing from Marline.

Matilda MacAttram, director of BMH UK, has long campaigned for the families of death in custody victims. She’s often done this with little or no money and at times even less recognition from any Government.

But recognising MacAtrram’s expertise and commitment to this issue, the Home Secretary Theresa May has announced that the BMH UK will play a key role in the Government Inquiry into Black deaths in police custody.

Matilda MacAttram said:

As an activist I’m used to talking about others: Those who are fighting for racial justice, others who seek to be BME role models, and for our communities demanding basic equality. That’s my chosen role and I’m proud of that. For nearly 20 years I’ve rarely talked about myself. That was until BBC London’s Robert Elms invited me to be his guest as this week’s ‘Listed Londoner’.

Thursday 15th May from 5.45pm - 7.00pm. Doors open at 5.30pm, Bethnal Green. Few places left.

This Thursday, at OBV’s headquarters in Bethnal Green, the Shadow Justice Minister Sadiq Khan will give a major speech setting out how the Labour plans to effectively tackle racial inequality within Britain today.

Although we haven’t seen any details of the speech, we are informed that the plans will include key policy directives both generally and specifically.

"You must come to Togo." That's not something you hear every day, but then it's not every day that you have lunch with Terry Waite. We were at the Cinnamon Club, full of rubber-necking politicians, but everyone noticed this national treasure - though at 6ft 7in, he's hard to miss.

I was telling him about a social project that I had been working on to promote entrepreneurship among prisoners as a route away from crime. The idea was first mooted in a column I wrote for Director.

Health expert Patrick Vernon takes a look at how housing associations can help solve NHS financial crisis and deliver affordable homes.

As we loom towards a general election in May 2015 the NHS is facing £30 billion deficit over the next few years with increasing demand from patients with long term conditions and older people. Since its creation back in 1948 the NHS has struggled to manage demand for urgent and emergency care particularly over the last two decades.

Apple have just announced that they are to buy Dr Dre’s headphone and music streaming company, ‘Beats’, for three billion dollars -1.8 billion pounds. This move will surely make the boy from Compton, California one of the most powerful players in the global music industry.

The Turban List has been launched this year to recognise influential turbaned British Sikhs; including entrepreneurs, public figures, celebrities and members of the general public who have gained prominence on a national or global scale in their specialist area.