20 | THE VOICE JANUARY 2023
Politics
What are Labour offering the black community? Black MPs fear Sir Keir Starmer is about to backtrack on Corbyn-era pledges to tackle systemic racism. By Richard Sudan
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LACK LABOUR MPs are urging the party to raise their game on policies to tackle systemic racism, amid fears that Sir Keir Starmer does not want to offer much for fear of scaring the ‘Red Wall.’ MPs and party insiders told The Voice they fear key Corbynera pledges made at the 2019 election, including the promise to “eradicate structural racism in employment”, may soon be ditched. Labour’s offer to black communities is central to the question of whether the party’s most loyal voter-base is genuinely valued by Sir Keir Starmer, or whether he is taking black votes for granted. Labour’s mini Race and Faith manifesto in 2019 made a number of promises to end racial disparities in healthcare and carry out an audit of Britain’s colonial legacies, seen as the first step towards reparations. Dawn Butler MP, who authored that manifesto, is adamant that the aims of the plan must be implemented. “This manifesto must not only be upheld, but should form the foundation and building block for our party’s offer at the next election. “This will send a clear message that Labour will not take black, Asian and minority ethnic voters for granted, and will fight for every vote. “As already agreed, we must implement in full the recommendations from the Forde Report, as well as ensure that we centre the voices of our black, Asian and minority ethnic members, councillors and MPs in everything we do. We must not use one group to attack another.” Butler, one of Parliament’s few black women MPs, is also deeply troubled by Labour’s obsession with Red Wall “hero voters”. “While I have heard one-time Labour supporters who backed Brexit being described as ‘hero voters’, I can categorically say all my voters in Brent are also hero voters. We must respect all votes equally,” she said. Starmer has referred to La-
bour’s plans to introduce a ‘Race Equality Act’, but there is a lack of information about what it might contain. MPs say the acid-test for this will be whether individual policies are robust enough to tackle systemic racism. The only two policy ideas that have been floated are both described as ‘low-hanging fruit’ — ethnicity pay monitoring, which is also supported by the CBI and Theresa May; and enabling allBAME shortlists. Neither require ‘primary legislation’ to be implemented, just
Black people have always been one of Labour’s most loyal voter blocks simple amendments to the existing Equality Act 2010. Responding to The Voice, a Labour spokesperson said the party “will make tackling structural racial inequality a key mission in government”. They added that the remaining recommendations of the Lammy review into criminal justice would be implemented. However, while David Lammy’s report, commissioned by David Cameron, mentioned racial disparities in sentencing, there were no recommendations dealing with racial disparities in sentencing. The spokesperson also promised to “act” to improve health outcomes for BAME communities. The 2019 race manifesto pledged to “end racial disparities” in health. While the further details of the Act remain unclear, there is also a question mark over the extent to which
ARE WE VALUED?: Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner taking the knee in 2020; below, David Lammy launching the Race and Faith manifesto in 2019, while Dawn Butler MP says the manifesto must be upheld (photo: Getty Images) black members were consulted in its drafting. According to Labour councillor Maurice Mcleod, recently blocked from the chance to become Peckham’s MP, the Labour Party “needs to co-produce any new Act with communities who actually have lived experience of the racism they are try-
ing to fight”. I am concerned that Labour’s obsession with sidelining voices they consider to be on the left will mean that they don’t listen to many of the people who have been battling racism their whole lives,” he added. “Introducing a new Race Equality Act is a once in a gen-
eration opportunity and must not be squandered with shortsighted factionalism.” Diane Abbott MP, also speaking to The Voice, expressed weary reservations about Labour’s stance on race equality. “It is very sad the Labour Party is offering so little substantive on race issues; and this when
recent reports show extensive institutional racism in organisations like the police and the fire brigade. “Black people have always been one of the most loyal voting blocs for Labour. They deserve better than this.” Another black MP, who didn’t want to be named, told The Voice that while supporting progressive legislation is crucial, unless the Labour leadership “tackles racism at the root” by countering racist rhetoric emanating from the top, a new Race Act would be like “creating a foundation built on sand”. The MP added that many of his colleagues feel Starmer is closer to emulating the rhetoric of the Tories, than countering it. A well-placed source within the national party governance structure said that BAME communities cannot be brushed aside with vague promises, and expected to turn out in droves at the ballot for Labour. The party would have to offer something substantive being offered in return for their vote.
