News

It’s good to be able to highlight some positive news. The Civil Service Fast Stream scheme has reported the highest number of successful applications from BME groups.

The scheme offers top graduates a quicker route to senior leadership positions, but applications from candidates from black and ethnic minority (BME) or financially disadvantaged backgrounds have been low in previous years.

Intro by Simon Woolley

Whilst we might be rightly disappointed about the low number of new Black and minority ethnic Peers selected to counter balance the House of Commons, we must congratulate both newly ennobled Baronesses Ruby McGregor-Smith and Shas Sheehan.

The Conservatives chose McGregor-Smith whilst the Lib Dems elevated Shas Sheehan.

Spot the BME member of the House of Lords. It's not easy. Out of 45 new Lords and Baronesses appointed to the Upper House yesterday there are  just two Asian peers, no Africans, Caribbeans, Chinese etc, etc. 

If these new 45 parliamentarians represent a new wind of change you can be forgiven for mistaking them for a waft of the old. They are overwhelmingly White and Middle Class. There's a higher proportion of women (17, or 36%), but apart from gender it is pretty much business as usual on the red benches.

On Friday the 21st August in Lambeth, South Clapham London, the Metropolitan Police shot a 34-year-old black man. It's always a concern to local communities when the police discharge their weapons and this is incident is no exception. The man in question is currently making good progress in hospital, however there a number of issues that give rise to a range of community concerns, that I believe require further explanation.

New research recently published has demonstrated that pregnant black women who suffer racism and discrimination then go on to have babies, who are negatively affected by the stress their mothers endure.

What this research demonstrates, is that unborn Black and Muslim babies are the victims of British racism, even before they are born. There can be no greater racial injustice than this, to be condemned by racism before you are born.

What a gross indictment of our supposed civilised, tolerant society.

August 23rd was the United Nations International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition and the launch of the UN’s International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024). This was the day of glorious uprising of the enslaved Africans of Santo Domingo (Haiti) on the night of 22nd to 23rd August 1791. The Black Jacobeans as described in the book of the same name written by our own C.L.R James.

It’s not a situation that comes up very often. The possibility of a Black or minority ethnic MP, taking one of the top political jobs in Europe, as Mayor for London.  Furthermore, it’s not as though they are short of talent to choose from within the Labour party:  veteran MP Diane Abbott, former Minister David Lammy MP, the UK’s first Muslim cabinet member Sadiq Khan.

The Bristol Post this week carried a story showing that race hate crimes are on the increase in the city, based on figures supplied by the local police.

Alex Raikes, strategic director for Stand Against Racism and Inequality (SARI), part of the Bristol Hate Crime Service, said:

Our case notes are telling us people are facing more hostility, and there are a few reasons for that."

If like me, you signed up as a non party member to participate in the Labour Party London Mayoral selection process you will have received an email informing you of your right to vote. If you’re a London Labour party member you automatically get that right.