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After making several pledges not to do so (1), the UK’s third national poll in as many years (following last year’s Brexit referendum and the General Election the year before) takes place on June 8th.
When announced, many pundits predicted a landslide victory for Theresa May’s Conservative government, with the opposition Labour Party lead by Jeremy Corbyn largely seen as unelectable. (2) However, the adage that “a week is a long time in politics” with just days to go Reuters reported: “May’s election gamble in doubt as poll lead falls to one point” (3) Although it should be added that, as a result of the last two major elections “polls are now less trusted,” not least because ”they tended to underestimate Conservative performance.” (4)
Polls aside, one area where there has been a marked increase in support is among certain elements of the Afrikan community. On one level, Afrikan support for the Labour party is nothing new. Indeed, it is still the most likely destination for Afrikan votes although in recent years the conservatives have been gaining ground. (5) With episodes like Smethwick, Enoch Powell and the he ‘Are you thinking what we’re thinking?’ campaign, general antipathy from the “nasty party” has also helped weld Afrikans to the Labour Party. In fact, Research by Lord Ashcroft has found that, in 2010, “Not being white was the single best predictor that somebody would not vote Conservative”. (6)
Ironically, the Labour Party is not without it’s contentious issues such as its passing of the 1968 Commonwealth Immigrants Act (7) to it’s more recent reluctance to field non-white candidates in winnable seats, in contrast to the Conservatives. (8)
But since the ascension of Jeremy Corbyn to the head of the party support for Labour and it’s leader in particular has intensified. Initiatives like ”Africans for JC Values,” launched in February 2016 and Momentum Black ConneXions (MBC), launched in December 2015, have made clear their support:
”Momentum Black ConneXions (MBC) is an independently self-organising, autonomous and self-determining Black Power constituency within the network of people and organisations to continue the energy and enthusiasm of Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign. We are committed to advancing Black Power perspectives on the 10 priorities that Jeremy Corbyn has identified as his own standpoint.” (9)
MBC’s definition of Black is ”includes those that do not regard themselves as white and are not treated as being white.” (10)
There’s been more recent developments in Afrikan support for the Labour leader. With some utilising #grime4corbyn, a number of high profile of MCs such as Stormzy, Skepta, JME, Novelist and A J Tracey, have come out in support of Corbyn to try and engage their young constituents to elect him into power. (11)
Another prominent MC to back Corbyn is Mobo award winner Akala, although he arguably offers a good a reason not to support as to support:
“So why will I be voting now? Jeremy Corbyn. It’s not that I am naive enough to believe that one man (who is, of course, powerless without the people that support him) can fundamentally alter the nature of British politics, or that I think that if Labour wins that the UK will suddenly reflect his personal political convictions, or even that I believe that the prime minister actually runs the country. However for the first time in my adult life, and perhaps for the first time in British history, someone I would consider to be a fundamentally decent human being has a chance of being elected.” (12)
Many of the left leaning activists find a natural ally in Jeremy Corbyn but one somewhat surprising addition to the chorus was Bro. Toyin Agbetu, founder of ”Pan African Human Rights Organisation” Ligali. In a YouTube video published on May 12th, Bro. Toyin asserts that voting for Labour on 8th June is ”one of the most revolutionary acts that many will make in this lifetime,” and that ”we have nothing to lose but absolutely everything to gain.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC_u1PKobzs&t=46s)
In contrast, directly referencing the likes of Akala and Toyin Agbetu, Green Party candidate Bro. Rashid Nix in his own YouTube video published on May 22nd, claims that the ”Black Corbynistas” are “naive” and have been ”hoodwinked.” Ultimately, he queries whether they:
”Still inhabit that mental plantation and the religious imagery connected to it of a bearded, sandal wearing white messiah figure, with the initials JC.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBQC17VphfM)
What has been absent from pre-election commentaries are the hyperbolic exhortations to vote to “make your ancestors proud,” (13) or that not voting renders us “underserving of respect” and ”agents of the devil who will not lift a finger for black people.” (14)
Also largely absent is a clear, coherent autonomous (i.e. not linked to or inspired by a mainstream political party) Afrikan agenda. So while the work of the likes of Operation Black Vote in identifying how ”BME” community can decide the outcome of key marginal seats is useful (15), the absence of a pre-existing agenda coming out of a functional community with which to leverage the competing parties effectively reduces the vote to an individual, affective exercise.
Ironically, much this work was central to the vision of the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament (iNAPP). iNAPP’s aim as listed in its manifesto:
“To be a national, independent, representative body designed to promote, preserve and protect the best interest of Afrikan people domiciled in the UK (and globally) and to establish the framework for the restoration of Afrikan sovereignty through nation building.” (16)
iNAPP’s profile has perhaps been lower of late than in previous years and it appears that in the ensuing vaccum the orientation has less on self-determination than on throwing our weight behind existing establishment structures.
(1) Will Heaven (18/04/17) Five times Theresa May ruled out a snap general election. https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/04/five-times-theresa-may-no-10-ruled-snap-general-election/
(2) Toby Helm (22/04/17) Conservatives on course for landslide victory in election, poll suggests. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/22/opinium-observer-poll-conservatives-way-ahead-of-labour
(3) Guy Faulconbridge and William Schomberg (03/06/17) May’s election gamble in doubt as poll lead falls to one point. http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-election-idUKKBN18T1V8
(4) Dr Omar Khan (18/05/15) Race and the 2015 General Election Part 2: Voting patterns by ethnic group. http://www.runnymedetrust.org/blog/race-and-the-2015-general-election-black-and-minority-ethnic-voters
(5) Doug Bolton (25/05/15) 4 charts that show exactly what Britain’s 3m minority ethnic voters think of the political parties – and it is not good news for Labour. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-4-charts-that-show-labour-may-be-losing-the-ethnic-minority-vote-10274051.html
(6) Tim Wigmore (15/10/14) Fifty years on, the Conservative party’s race problem remains. http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/10/fifty-years-conservative-partys-race-problem-remains
(7) Dr Evan Smith (16/03/15) Integration and Limitation: Labour and Immigration, 1962-68. https://hatfulofhistory.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/integration-and-limitation-labour-and-immigration-1962-68/
(8) Nigel Morris & Andrew Grice (30/12/14) Labour shuns black and Asian candidates in ‘winnable’ seats as Miliband faces calls for action. https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2017/04/five-times-theresa-may-no-10-ruled-snap-general-election/. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-shuns-black-and-asian-candidates-in-winnable-seats-9950913.html
(9) Momentum Black ConneXions (01/05/16) Aims and Objectives of Momentum Black ConneXions. https://momentumblackconnexions.wordpress.com/2016/05/01/aims-and-objectives-of-momentum-black-connexions/
(10) Ibid.
(11) Hatty Collier (17/05/17) London’s grime scene ‘comes out for Jeremy Corbyn’ as secret rave planned before General Election. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/londons-grime-stars-come-out-in-support-of-jeremy-corbyn-as-secret-rave-planned-before-general-a3541466.html
(12) Akala (12/05/17) By choice, I’ve never voted before. But Jeremy Corbyn has changed my mind. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/may/12/never-voted-before-jeremy-corbyn-changed-mind
(13) 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.
(14) Dot Adebayo (18/02/15) Stupid black men don’t vote. http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/stupid-black-men-don%E2%80%99t-vote?quicktabs_nodesblock=2
(15) Operation Black Vote (2017) The ‘Black vote’ can play a significant part in deciding who wins the 2017 snap general election. https://www.raceequality2017.org.uk/power-of-the-black-vote
(16) interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament’s (28/11/154) Manifesto: Working Draft for Community Consultation.
So we ask the question:
UK General Election – Vote for who, what, why?
1. Is voting Labour really ”revolutionary”?
2. What lessons can we learn from Jeremy Corbyn’s capacity to reach young people?
3. Is not voting a strategy or a cop out?
4. Does activists support for Corbyn detract from building autonomous Afrikan structures?
5. Is support for Corbyn a sufficient proxy for an Afrikan Agenda?
6. What is iNAPP’s take on the upcoming election?
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 African-Centred Guide To Excellence.
Sis. Isis Amlak: has over twenty five years’ experience as an activist, and community organiser. She lives in West London where she has been active in local democracy, and community arts and music production. For over 20 years she has worked the not for profit sector, both in paid and voluntary roles. She has a strong track record in community development, management, training and equalities work. Isis has worked extensively with racialised and minoritised communities in the UK around issues such as criminal justice, health, economic justice and Equality, Diversity & Human Rights. Isis is a member of the One Voice Community Collective, a trustee of the Octavia Foundation and a Director of Olmec and on the Facilitating Group of Edge Fund.
Bro. Rashid Nix: entered politics in 1999 when he coordinated mentoring programmes for Westminster Race Equality Council. He was also a member of their team training Met police as part of government recommendations. Rashid is keen to promote civic engagement and responsibility. His ground-breaking political film, Why Don’t Black People Vote? explores low voter turnouts to engage audiences, of all races and ages, in discussion. A South Bank University graduate, he trained as a cameraman at the BBC, and coordinates the Brixton Underground Film Festival; where film, politics, entertainment and discussion collide. He stood for Councillor in Coldharbour Ward for the Green Party in 2014, gaining second place, ahead of the Conservatives, Liberals and UKIP. An effective communicator, he mentors students for the Mentoring Workshop, and presents The Peoples Talk Show on Genesis Radio.
Bro. Aunkh Aakhu: is an initiate into the Kemetic Spiritual System under Muata Ashby. He has also pioneered an African Centered approach to marketing that gives Black business people the core power to neutralize racism through better marketing. He teaches that the only power held over us is our inability to become effective marketers. Aunkh is an innovative trainer, and the creator of several marketing training programs: How to Thrive in a Recession; Profit Tsunami; Secrets of Monetization; The Better Marketing Mastery Program. He is in the UK for the Black Alchemy African-Centred Marketing event taking place at the Karibu Centre on June 11th (http://www.shakaraspeaks.com/blackalchemy/) and for Alkebu-Lan’s Faith Studies session on Afrikan Yoga on Tuesday 6th June (https://www.alkebulan.org/study/)
MASSIVE GIVE AWAY!
We will also be giving one Black Business the opportunity to develop a CUSTOMISED MARKETING PLAN with our special guest & Guerrilla Marketing Guru, Brother Aunkh Aakhu! CLICK HERE to find out more!
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