OBV congratulates rising BME political stars

With the rise of anti-immigrant parties across Europe, the importance of BME political representation is more needed than ever. Initiatives like Operation Centurion, in which illegal immigrants were allegedly targeted using ethnic stereotypes for removal, highlight a distinct change in the political landscape.

The effects of such policies to community relations can be devastating with raids taking place predominantly in BME communities, leading to disruption in many businesses and leaving these communities feeling under attack.

An example of this targeting includes raids on Eritrean nationals working in laundrettes, described as "not the best nationalities for us” . Moreover the efficacy of such a policy is highly questionable, with reports that out of 50,000 illegal immigrant tip offs, only 660 resulted in deportations.

The rise of parties like UKIP, combined with a recent poll by You Gov which revealed that 46% of British people think they are racist, means that improving BME representation is crucial to ensure the governance of our nation represents the diversity of its citizens.

After the recent elections, the number of BME councillors in London has increased to roughly 22%. Although this increase is necessary and to be welcomed, with nearly 40% of London’s population being from the BME community, this figure remains distinctly unrepresentative. Looking at representation of BME councillors nationally, research has shown that in local government, 3.5%-4% of councillors were drawn from BME communities, despite a national BME population of 12%-14%.

Therefore the challenge is clear and OBV would like to congratulate the many BME individuals who continue to serve their communities and those who have recently taken the political mantle and been elected. Some rising stars in particular are;

Newly elected councillor for Milton Keynes, Councillor Moriah Priestley, has been elected the first black female city councillor, a great achievement for the council. She has been campaigning in her local community for more affordable housing and has aspirations of serving in Westminster one day.

Another one to watch, is newly elected Councillor Reena Ranger, who serves on the Three Rivers District Council. She is the Founder and Chairwoman of Women Empowered, a social initiative aimed at championing issues for women. As a mother of two, she works tirelessly through the programme to help woman find the inspiration they need to make changes in their own lives.

We would also like to commend Councillor David Michael, newly elected to Lewisham Council. Councillor Michael was the founder of the Black Police Association and has received a number of accolades for his work.

When asked why he got involved in politics he said:

I want to encourage and see more members of the community engaged and aware of civic engagement, and for them to have a greater understanding of what civic engagement is and how it impacts on families and community cohesion.”

Birmingham’s Councillor Sharon Thompson, an OBV graduate, is definitely a future political star. After becoming a magistrate, and encouraging others to get involved in civic life, Thompson wanted to use her skills, to further serve her community.

Finally, OBV graduate Councillor Krupesh Hirani, who was re-elected to Brent Council. Hirani has received a number of awards for his work, including the Alumni Laureate Award for his work in local government in the charity and disability sector. During his previous term of office, at the tender age of 26, Hirani was the Lead Member for Adults and Health in Brent, making him the youngest person in the Country to hold this portfolio.

These are just a handful of councillors; and OBV would like to congratulate all the BME councillors who have been elected. They are at a local level representing and serving all of the communities in their wards and we look forward to them empowering individuals and making a difference to the communities they have been elected to represent.

Well done to all the councillors!

Roshni Vekereya and Francine Fernandes