PM’s speech on race: Good but now ACTION

Within an hour of the Prime Minister’s ‘bold’ party conference speech in Manchester today, one Guardian commentator -hardly cheer leaders for the Tory party- suggested that; ‘...have you ever heard a party leader – let alone a Conservative PM – deliver such an impassioned attack upon discrimination?’

The part that the commentator was possibly referring to was when the PM touched up the race inequality that bedevils young BME men and women.

In it he said:

One young black girl had to change her name to Elizabeth before she got any calls to interviews. That, in 21st-century Britain, is disgraceful. ”

He also mentioned:

Opportunity doesn’t mean much to a British Muslim if he walks down the street and is abused for his faith,”

before ending,

I want us to end discrimination and finish the fight for real equality in our country today.”

They are fine words, even more powerful when you are Prime Minster running a majority Government. But they are not new from David Cameron. A few weeks before becoming the Prime Minister in 2010 David Cameron made a video for OBV to speak to Britain’s BME communities. It was incredibly impassioned, detailed in its understanding, and above all gave hope that things would change.

This is a short exert:

We’ve got to end work-place discrimination once and for all. It’s simply wrong that Black people are held back because of the backgrounds. And we’ve got to tackle the deep structural inequality that holds Black people back especially young people. When the colour of your skin dictates how likely you are to succeed in school, to start a business, to be unemployed, to be a victim of crime, to end up in prison, we know something is still wrong."

Before this election the PM spoke about a 20-20 vision to tackle race inequality, and now this speech, today during, what is Black History Month.

After much rhetoric it is right that we demand action with a comprehensive plan across all Government departments to close race inequality gaps by the year 2020.

To test the PM’s resolve OBV and other BME groups will be in talks with Downing Street to see how aspiration can be translated into reality. The PM might be forgiven once for not delivering on a promise, but twice over a ten year period would be altogether some else.

Our message to the Prime Minister, must therefore be: "It’s time to make good your promise and in doing so you’ll have the backing of many."

Watch this video clip of David Cameron addressing the Black Britain

Simon Woolley