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VOICE EDITOR: Steve Pope

This forthcoming general election will be the most significant one in recent times for black and other ethnic minorities in Britain. The outcome of this election, and hence the future of Britain, could be determined by the ethnic vote.

As Simon Woolley, head of Operation Black Vote said: “Never in British history has black and Asian people had the potential to pay such a pivotal role in deciding the future government of this country.

“There are a good number of key constituencies where the BME vote could be key to deciding which MP goes to Parliament.” Added Woolley.

The balance of power rests in black and Asian hands, but we have to use our voting power and not be so disillusioned with the political system that we fail to seize this opportunity.

Another major change set to happen this election will be the number of new black and Asian MPs coming into Parliament. The Labour and Conservative parties are fielding close to 100 BME candidates, many in ‘safe’ seats, so the numbers of black MPs at Westminster will increase considerably.

This is an election we MUST engage in and The Voice starts its political coverage this week.

We are focussing this issue on what was once a rare sight - a black Tory party member. The emergence of greater black involvement in the Conservative Party is a fairly recent phenomenon, one that reflects changes not only in the Tory party, but in the black community. We are also featuring this week an example of the new kind of Conservative, Andrew Charalambous, who really does sees the concept of multi-cultural Britain as one of the great aspects of this nation.

We also have a new chief political commentator Lee Jasper, the former advisor to ex-London Mayor Ken Livingston. Jasper was the victim of a political smear campaign

conducted by a London newspaper. An independent inquiry later cleared him

of any wrong-doing in regards to allegations that he helped award grants to organisations he had a connection too. However the truth came too late as he was forced to resign and his imaged tarnished by the smear campaign.

Jasper brings an insight into politics, grass roots activism, and media political spin, that few have such first-hand experience of.

With the country gripped by a recession, black unemployment rising, and community organisations facing the biggest threat ever to their future funding, politics has never been more important and relevant. We have real potential to influence the future of Britain, but power will only come if we use our vote at the ballet box and demand more beyond it.

Published: 31 December 1979
Issue: 1413

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