The Tories claim they are the Workers’ Party. They also want to be the Black People’s Party. They had just two ethnic minority MPs in 2005. Two elections later they are into double figures. And that’s good – diversity in parliament on all sides is desirable.
During the election David Cameron remarked on the progress the Tories were making and claimed that the first Black or Asian Prime Minister would be a Tory.
Impossible? I know at first hand that the Tories are serious about making a breakthrough. A Tory, who heard on the grapevine that I was running into a headwind in my efforts to get re-selected to fight Brent Central, whispered that if I defected I would be virtually guaranteed a safe seat.
I politely rebuffed the offer. If I had been tempted I would have found myself being whipped to vote for George Osborne’s tax credit cut, and later for the anti-trade union bill and required to support Jeremy Hunt in his fight with junior doctors. From the labour benches I spoke out against the cuts and will oppose the Trade Union Bill and support the doctors.
Because, of course, there’s a big gap between the reality of Tory policies and their ambition and rhetoric about being the Workers party or the party for ethnic minorities.
When I spoke against the cuts to tax credits, I did so shortly after the impressive new Tory MP Heidi Allen who waited five months to make her maiden speech, delivering a devastating attack on Osborne’s cut. Clearly a compassionate politician in the months ahead she will find her conscience tested again and again.
But the Labour Party needs to reinvigorate its role in encouraging and embracing voters of colour – and getting more of them in elected office. That is why we need Bernie’s List an organisation that will target support on members of the African Caribbean community seeking selections as MPs, councillors and other elected positions.
It is modelled on Emily’s List which helped bring about the surge in women MPs and councillors. It is named after the inspirational Tottenham MP Bernie Grant who entered the Commons in 1987 along with Paul Boateng, Diane Abbott and Keith Vaz. That was a great day but the fact is that further progress has been much slower than we hoped. We have not got as far as we should have.
Bernie’s List will be an important tool in Labour’s equality toolbox looking to advance people from an under-represented group. In particular we need to reach to women and the younger generation.
In the 2010 election, the Conservative Party only won 16 per cent of the ethnic minority vote but elected 11 Black and minority ethnic MPs, because they made the conscious effort to select BAME candidates in safe and winnable seats. They now have 18 MPs to Labour’s 24. We made our big breakthrough in 1987 but our progress has been sluggish. The Tories were nowhere until 2010 but they have been catching up fast.
Labour needs to speed the pace of change so we can make a major advance in 2020. That’s why we need Bernie’s List.
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