On June 23rd the UK will be holding a referendum to decide whether the country will stay in the European Union (EU). The last UK referendum on this issue took place in 1975, two years after joining the body that was founded in 1958.
All the main political parties are campaigning to remain (although about half of Conservative MPs, including five cabinet ministers, several Labour MPs along with the UK Independence Party – UKIP advocate the Brexit – Br(itish)exit) (1). According to the opinion polls, the UK public are fairly evenly split. (2)
The emerging narrative, that’s has become a staple (in some circles) in recent election cycles is that “BME voters could decide the outcome” of, in this case, the referendum. (3) That’s if they could be bothered to register. Research carried out by the Runnymede Trust indicates that while 90% of white British were registered to vote, only 65% of Afrikans were (the main Asians groups registered at rate of 76%). (4)
Recent reports suggest that between just over a half to around two-thirds of so-called “BMEs” are in favour of UK remaining in the EU, while just over a fifth prefer an exit. (5). Yet it appears that it is all still to play for. Novelist, and broadcaster Dreda Say Mitchell, born in London of Grenadian parents says that people are shocked that she’s voting for Brexit. Her rationale emphasises the importance of democracy:
“There doesn’t seem much point in electing MPs if their votes can be overridden by supranational institutions like the EU or tax-dodging corporations. Much of the apathy and cynicism towards politics is a result of people feeling that real power is somewhere else and not in the ballot box. I’ve seen the EU described as “post-democratic”. Some of us would prefer the real thing back.” (6)
Mitchell, also highlights the rise of Racism across EU countries as influencing a move towards Brexit. Even the (somewhat ironic) rise in Afrikan opposition to immigration is regarded as a triumph of integration: “we’re becoming just like our white counterparts.” (7) Not surprisingly, UKIP Migration spokesman, Steven Woolfe, who describes himself as a member of the “Black, Asian, Minority and ethnic” community is also campaigning for Brexit. Targeting the touchstone topic of immigration, Woolfe claims that EU policy disadvantages Commonwealth communities:
“But in the same way Ethnic communities are harmed economically by the impact of EU freedom of movement they are harmed by the response of government to controlling immigration. Unable to control EU migration, government has introduced more restrictions on Non-EU migration. Every Pakistani community knows of the anguish and struggle to obtain a visa for a grandmother to visit for the grandchild’s wedding. Every African community knows of a university educated nephew or niece struggling to get one of a limited number of highly skilled visas.” (8)
Conversely, Conservative Parliamentary candidate Festus Akinbusoye is very much in the remain camp, asserting that the EU has not hindered economic growth which is more in the UKs control that the leave campaign make out. However, he does employ a very generic use of “we” when extolling other benefits of the EU:
“With Britain in the EU, we enjoy the same protections, rights and entitlements as other EU citizens in their own countries with limited restrictions. We are able to travel to and trade with, study or settle in any of the other 27 EU countries freely. Indeed, some three million British citizens currently live right across the EU. The inter-connectedness of our academic institutions and knowledge sharing between our scientific communities all greatly benefit from our membership in the world’s largest single market.” (9)
Former London Mayor Ken Livingstone’s advisor on equalities and policing, Lee Jasper is also firmly in the remain camp, to the extent that asserts that voting to remain will “make your ancestors proud”. (10)
The tenor of his argument is essentially that the EU serves as a necessary counter to the UK’s “unbridled petty nationalism, unreconstructed racism, economic protectionism and colonial conquest and theft” and that EU legislation has brought the UK, albeit reluctantly, to heel having been found guilty of: “of flagrant race discrimination in its application of immigration laws, family reunion, forced deportation, asylum child detention, criminal justice, you name it.” He also argues that:
“Once the UK is out of Europe, the EU project will collapse. Racism and fascism will undoubtedly rise across EU nations rise and you and your children will still be black.” (11)
Unfortunately, it might be the case that this “rise” is already here. Research by the European Network Against Racism in its Shadow Report 2014-15 on Afrophobia in Europe, claims that “Black people experience widespread racism and discrimination across the EU and in all areas of life, including unemployment, education, policing and the criminal justice system.” (12) One of the more curious revelations (given the experiences of the Windrush generation) in the key findings was:
“Austria, Cyprus, Ireland and Lithuania report of landlords openly refusing Black people (emphasis added).” (13)
Afrikans in the UK have endured racism for generations and even the United Nations acknowledges this (14). Forty-three years membership of the EU has arguably not even provided a palliative to this and given the levels of racism highlighted above it is not surprising. It could be argued that the EU leave/remain referendum is a debate between Europeans that some Afrikans have intruded into and neither has the capacity or inclination to deliver redemption to Afrikans. Perhaps a Chinweizu type “plague-on-both-your-houses” approach for Afrikans who see the whole exercise as discussion between white supremacist, imperialists with no regard for Afrikans except as tools, pawns and fodder. (15)
Another perspective is that if any appeal is to be made to Afrikans, as Afrikans then the necessity for an Afrikan position or agenda becomes paramount. Those who eschew this logic are then, extending the argument, advocating on behalf of themselves as individuals, or to some European formation and not for Afrikan self-determination. The pitfalls of this can evidenced by the Afrikans aligning with Europeans who then perform political about turns such as Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn whom “many Brexit campaigners have accused… of trying to whitewash his Eurosceptic past.” (16)
Consequently, irrespective of the referendum outcome, the last forty-three years and the several centuries prior to that, demonstrates that Afrikans need to organise. One notable attempt at this is the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament, that will be holding its next General People’s Assembly (GPA) on June 25th under theme ‘Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now’ where they will be seeking to lay the foundation for establishing a National Credit Union towards economic empowerment and recruit 100 active members to drive a campaign to amass a 1,000 strong membership and raise £1,000,000. The GPA starts at 4.30pm and finishes at 9.30 and takes place at Queen Mother Moore School, Clapham Methodist Church Hall, Nelsons Row. Clapham, London SW4 7JP.
(1) Wheeler, Brian & Hunt, Alex (07/07/2016) The UK’s EU referendum: All you need to know. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32810887
(2) Barnes, Peter (06/06/2016) EU referendum poll tracker. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36271589.
(3) Afua Hirsch (29/05/2016) Ethnic Minorities Could Swing EU Ref Outcome. http://news.sky.com/story/1703625/ethnic-minorities-could-swing-eu-ref-outcome.
(4) Heath, Professor Anthony and Khan, Dr Omar (02/2012) Ethnic Minority British Election Study – Key Findings. Runnymede Trust.Click to access EMBESbriefingFINALx.pdf
(5) Mendelsohn, Tom (29/05/2016) EU referendum: BME voters could be the key to stopping Brexit. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/eu-referendum-bme-voters-could-be-key-stopping-brexit-1562608. Parveen, Nazia (01/06/2016) Why do some ethnic minority voters want to leave the EU? http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/01/british-asians-views-eu-referendum-figures-brexit.
(6) Mitchell, Dreda Say (22/03/2016) So what if I’m black and thinking about voting for Brexit? http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/22/black-voting-brexit-out-campaign.
(7) Ibid.
(8) Woolfe, Steven (26/01/2016) Reaching Out: the referendum challenge. http://www.britishfuture.org/articles/reaching-out-eu-referendum/.
(9) Akinbusoye, Festus (03/05/2016) Why I’ll Be Voting For Britain To Remain In Europe. http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/why-ill-be-voting-britain-remain-europe.
(10) Jasper, Lee (22/05/2016) Black Europe: Why History Dictates We Have to Stay In The EU. http://leejasper.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/black-europe-why-history-dictates-we.html.
(11) Ibid.
(12) European Network Against Racism (21/03/2016) Black people in Europe-report widespread racism in anti-immigration context. http://enar-eu.org/Black-people-in-Europe-report-widespread-racism-in-anti-immigration-context
(13) European Network Against Racism (2016) ENAR Shadow Report 2014-15 on Afrophobia in Europe: Key findings. http://statewatch.org/news/2016/mar/eu-enar-afrophobia-in-europe-key-findings.pdf
(14) Shepherd, Prof. Verene, et al (05/08/2013) Report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent on its twelfth session. United Nations Mission to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G13/161/09/PDF/G1316109.pdf?OpenElement. The report concludes:“People of African descent consulted believe that the Government has not adequately implemented the impressive legislative and policy framework that exists, and has failed in several aspects to respond adequately to their problems or to devise meaningful and enforceable solutions, leaving them and their communities in a neglected situation.”
(15) Chinweizu (1987) Zionists, Arabists and Pan-Africanists in Decolonising the African Mind. Pero Press. p. 141
(16) Foster, Alice (02/06/2016) Corbyn’s Eurosceptic past: What did he say before? http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/661410/Jeremy-Corbyn-What-Say-EU-Past-Eurosceptic-Views-on-European-Union
So tonight we ask the question:
EU Referendum – Will the BLACK VOTE count?
- Have you registered to vote in the referendum? If so will you vote?
- If we fail to engage do we have no grounds for complaint?
- Will engagement serve any purpose in the absence of a clearly defined Afrikan agenda”?
- Will you be attending iNAPP GPA on the 25th ?
- What is the iNAPP position on the referendum?
Our very special guests:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and UNIA-ACL Ambassador for the UK and national co-Chair of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 30 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An Africentric Guide To Excellence.
Bro. Luwezi Kinshasa: is the Secretary-General of the African Socialist International (ASI),. Born in Congo, he is currently exiled in Britain as one of the tens of thousands of Africans from Congo who were forced into political exile by the Mobutu regime. He speaks and organizers throughout Europe and in Afrika, working to liberate and unite Africa and African people everywhere.
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