News

Following yesterday’s article about the abhorrent behaviour of Calderdale Councillor Roger Taylor, Calderdale Council have acted swiftly to address concerns about his inappropriate behaviour. The Conservative Councillor who described the Hillsborough Report as "overloaded with politically correct language" and the Stephen Lawrence inquiry Report as a "joke" will now face a formal investigation by the Standards Committee.

The prominent racial justice and civil liberties organisation, JUST West Yorkshire, are shocked and appalled by the response of a Yorkshire Councillor Roger Taylor to a recent article they had written following the Hillsborough Panel’s findings. Ratna Lachman, the director of Just West Yorkshire shares the incident.

The grassroots efforts of Zita Holbourne, fighting social and racial justice were awarded with a national honour as she collected the Role Model award at the National Diversity Awards.

Zita who is Co-founder of Black Activist Rising Against Cuts-BARAC –came to the fore this summer when she confronted the Olympic Committee LOCOG and forced them to reverse a decision that barred The Voice newspaper from being at the Games.

The Metropolitan Police’s Commission on Policing and Mental Health has been slammed by a leading BME campaign group as nothing more than a cosmetic exercise.

Senior Black Church leaders began a fact finding tour across the country in a bid to help them write a Black Church manifesto in the run-up to the General Election scheduled for 2015.

Their first meeting, hosted by ourselves at the OBV offices, sought to have a conversation with Black activists , NGO’s and campaigners. Amongst those who attended were Superintendent Leroy Logon, anti Gang campaigner Sheldon Thomas, Church leader Celia Apeagyei-Collins, and head of BARAC Lee Jasper.

Chairing the meeting Bishop Joe Aldred stated:

Despite the authorities best efforts, the prickly question of racism in football just won’t go away.

Just hours before his hearing at the FA, Chelsea Captain John Terry made a pre-emptive strike by announcing that ‘due to the FA pursuing the alleged racism’ towards Anton Ferdinand, he was stepping down as an England international.

It was one of the largest rallies of the 2010 General Election race. The polls were unclear as to who would win and the political heavyweights were out in force to get every vote.

Black voters were demanding more than just platitudes from the political elite. Deputy Labour Party Leader Harriet Harman was given a rough ride when she greeted the audience ('Hello brothers and sisters'). The then Shadow Chancellor George Osborne was booed when he walked on stage.

As Prince William and his wife Kate return from their Royal tour as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, Ahmed Sule challenges a rose tinted view of the Royal visit. In his picture story, Sule suggests whilst British colonies no longer exist, viewing photos and piantings, past and present, notions of deference and superiority are never too far away.

What do you think?

Click here to view the pictures.

A French scholar living in Canada  sent me this article written by Michael Muhammad Knight, and whilst I don’t agree with everything in the piece, he certainly forces the reader to question who writes our history, who sets out the parameters for what is good and bad, who decided who are innocent and who are the guilty.

The piece is written within the back drop of the Muslim world’s outrage towards the US film, 'The innocence of Muslim' that denigrates the Prophet Muhammad.