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When TV and film producers want to be seen as 'multicultural',  they often place a Black character in the mix, usually as the most sympathetic character. Actors such as Idris Elba, Thande Newton, Adrian Lester, and Colin Salmon have all played that role to great acclaim.

One of the most prestigious universities in the world, Oxford is still failing to admit Black students in any meaningful numbers. According to their own data, several of the most prestigious colleges, including Balliol, University and Magdalen, each admitted two black British students as undergraduates during the three-year period. The worst Corpus Christi College only admitted one Black British student in three years.

Blasting the findings David Lammy MP stated that:

Seven years on from the civil disturbances sparked in Tottenham 201, by the killing of Mark Duggan by Met Police Officers, public relations between London Black communities and the Met are at an all-time low. This is both a crisis of confidence and policing legitimacy. The uncomfortable truth for London and the rest of the country, is nothing has changed and there has been no improvement in relations since 2011, in fact quite the reverse is true, things have become much worse.

The Labour party have selected four dynamic women of colour to stand for the vacant and safe parliamentary seat of Lewisham East left by Heidi Alexander.

Although the party does not have an ‘all BME’ short list policy, the talent was such that these four women emerged as the strongest candidates.

Whist this is good news on one level, it also demonstrates how far Labour has to travel to ensure talented women and men from African, Asian and Caribbean backgrounds get equitable opportunities to represent their communities and their country.

Not since Bernie Grant in 1985, has Haringey Council had a Black leader, but last week the ruling Labour group elected Joseph Ejiofor to become its new leader.

Cllr Ejiofor, who served as deputy leader during Claire Kober’s administration, secured the most votes at Haringey Labour branch’s annual general meeting

The result means he is likely to be sworn in as new council leader at the Full Council AGM next Thursday, May 24.

He tweeted:

The cartoon re-tweeted by Labour veteran Lord Adonis racially mocking the new Home Secretary Sajid Javid as a ‘cocunut’ who would send home his Pakistani parents because of his new political role , is not only below the standard of a prominent peer, but it is deeply racist and of course extremely offensive.

Frank Wang has greeted Bethnal Green commuters for the past 15 years from his mobile coffee van outside Bethnal Green station. Come rain or shine he is there, if you haven’t got enough money or the right change, ‘don’t worry’ he’ll say, ‘pay next time’. To those who find themselves in a much worse predicament Frank always offers them a hot cup of chocolate and snack. That’s Frank. A humble, hard working man of the people.

The veteran Labour MP has publically come out in support of recently expelled Black activist Marc Wadsworth.

In a 700 word letter to the Labour hierarchy Vaz points out that what has happened to Mr Wadsworth is a ‘horrible injustice’.

Mr Vaz - who has been a long time parliamentary supporter of Labour Friends of Israel - warned expelling Mr Wadsworth would send an extremely negative message to the black community.

During every election and referendum bar none, ever since my son could walk, he has accompanied me to the voting booth. At times I’d even bribe him, "Come on son, let’s go and vote. Afterwards, we'll see if we can get some Ben 10 Aliens, you know Stinkfly, Upchuck or Fourarms."

As he became older, he would want to put the cross in the box for me, which nearly became hazardous when he mistook what I pointed at. ‘No, no son, that lot really hates us’ I intervened, as he went to put a cross next the BNP candidate's name.

Kanye West has always been a self publicist grabbing the headlines with controversial statements. However, even for him his recent pronouncement is totally outlandish and offensive. He was Trump's chump from day one, visiting the President within days of his election and having their picture taken outside Trump Tower. He has for the last year or so declared his unwavering support for President Trump defending the indefensible. Yesterday he went even further by making the idiotic and bizarre statement that slavery was a self imposed choice by African Americans.