Lewisham Labour selection: Brilliant all BME women list

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.

Of 50 seats that the Labour Party have selected candidates to fight in any forthcoming election, this will be the first woman of colour selected from that number.

In this particular fight - may the best woman win.

The list of candidates in the Labour shortlist for the Lewisham East parliamentary constituency seat are in first name alphabetical order: Brenda Dacres, Claudia Webbe, Janet Daby and Sakina Sheikh.

Simon Woolley