The rise and fall of Lord John Taylor

Ever since 1992 when he took the political platform Lord John Taylor was destined to make history.  

A sharp suited barrister, Taylor represented everything that the then Prime Minister John Major wanted to show case in his ‘One Nation’, philosophy. Taylor talked like the establishment, dressed like it, and as a barrister worked within it.

For blue rinse Conservatives what wasn’t there to like about him? Well, for too many in the Cheltenham constituency his colour for a start.  The local Conservative party strongly felt Taylor had been foisted on them. One senior local member who was later told to leave the party informed the media that, we don’t want this, ‘bloody n...r’.

Until the arrival of John Taylor, Cheltenham had been a safe Conservative seat. He should have been the first Conservative MP of African descent, but the people and the racism of Cheltenham had other ideas.

In one the most dramatic episodes of the1992 election John Taylor lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats. Asked whether or not race had anything to do with his shock defeat Taylor infamously and emphatically stated no.

Black Britain was shocked and dismayed by Taylor’s denial. Racism in Britain during the 90's was  ever present but it was always denied by the establishment. This was the black community’s moment to remind the nation of what black groups had been suffering on a daily basis. Taylor denied himself and his community of that moment.

His reward would be an appointment to the House of Lords. Taylor’s place in history was confirmed, not as he had first imagined, as the first Conservative MP of African descent, but rather as a Peer.

Many years later Lord John Taylor did eventually talk about race inequality within the Conservative party, but it seemed too many that he was only really  lamenting about the  lack of his own progress within the Party.

Sadly, yesterday Lord Taylor made history again, as the only politician - the MPs in the same boat pleaded guilty - to be tried and convicted of fraudulent expenses claims. Taylor now awaits his fate and could easily be sent to prison, which would be a very sad end to what was back in the 90s a very promising career.

Right now Lord John Taylor is not in a good place, either emotionally or physically, and giving consideration to his well being, we hope that he comes through this a better person.

Some will question in his case and in others why the authorities have tended to focus much of their attention on minority ethnic peers?  But whilst that question is legitimate we have to accept that what Taylor did was wrong, and he too must accept the consequences.

In the end, sadly, Taylor’s political career, probably from start to finish, will not be remembered for being a blue print for other Black people to follow. A man with great potential perhaps squandered his talent, and never realised what a beacon he could have been for the Black community.

Simon Woolley