View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Spotlight on Policy
  2. Elections
26 October 2015updated 26 Jul 2021 1:21pm

Here’s why the Labour party need Bernie’s List

The Conservatives have 23 per cent of the ethnic minority vote and 18 MPs. Labour got 65 per cent - and have 24. 

By Dawn Butler

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.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

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. 

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU