Although it could be as late as January 2025 there is a strong likelihood that the UK general election will take at some point this year. (1) For decades now the Labour Party “was traditionally the home for black voters. ”(2) Indeed in the last ballot in 2019 “Black voters were twice as likely as white voters to support Labour.” (3) But recent years have seen that support fracture. The ongoing suspension of veteran MP Diane Abbott for what many regarded as a badly worded but not ill-intentioned letter for which she immediately apologised, while transgressions by white colleagues receive little or no sanction has resulted in reports that: “80% would switch vote if Labour kick Diane Abbott out.” (4)
This is against a backdrop of a perceived “hierarchy of racism or discrimination”, operated by the party, as outlined in The Forde Report published in 2022 and is contrasted by an adherence to a “weaponized antisemitism” levelled at previous party leader Jeremy Corbyn and his allies, including Abbott. (5) At the local level there is a the long-standing practice of Labour administrations advocating against the Afrikan community. (6) In sum, Labour stands accused of taking the Black vote for granted, the efforts of some individual MPs (at times) like Diane Abbott, Dawn Butler, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Kim Johnson and the late Bernie Grant notwithstanding. (7) However, the perils of treating the Afrikan community as an “afterthought” are revealed in data that suggests it has the capacity to decide election outcomes, particularly in marginal seats. (8) Yet, it must be taken into consideration to what extent the Afrikan community is sufficiently organised and constituted to deploy such a strategy.
Nevertheless, for many in the Black commentator class the priority has to be ‘getting the Tories out.’ Of course, during its fourteen-year tenure the Conservative government and its legion of media allies has certainly sought to mobilize mythical white grievance through its culture war strategy while justifying it’s own racism (euphemistically called “anti-woke”), while inflicting real harm on its Afrikan victims. (9) The irony is that they now get their non-white MPs Like Suella Braverman and Kemi Badenoch to front this Afriphobic broadsides against the Afrikan community, a case in point being the neo-fascist Britain First’s endorsement of Badenoch’s 2022 leadership bid. (10)
Consequently, neither of the main parties can really be seen as fit for purpose with ostensibly no intention of delivering tangible outcomes for the Afrikan community. The main options then appear to ignore the forgoing and vote anyway, engage strategically, totally disengage (although this can also be strategic) or create an alternative.
The growing call from the grassroots is for a national representative body, where strategic positions can be honed and rolled out. The interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament (iNAPP) previously advanced a programme for this as outlined in its manifesto:
“It is the conviction of the NAPP, based upon well documented evidence that the political will to bring about meaningful, qualitative change to the lives of Afrikan people does not exist. In any case, we are our own liberators and the rightful masters of our own destiny. It is therefore a challenge to every Afrikan man and woman, to come to grips with this protracted, debilitating reality, which we have endured and bequeathed to succeeding generations for far too long.
We must realise that tackling and implementing solutions to these historical maladies, lie squarely in our own hands. In particular our capacity to organise ourselves as one nation, drawing on our wealth of skills, expertise, resources and experiences in the process. ” (11)
Thus iNAPP resolved to:
“Establish a nationwide, centralized system of self-governance to function at local, regional, national and international levels, organizing Afrikan people in the UK as one sovereign people and nation.
Harness and organize the professional skills and expertise at the disposal of our people in developing the requisite nation building infrastructure, including independent institutions to meet the needs of our people.
Be a nationally and internationally recognised and recognisable representative body and voice of the Afrikan people domiciled in the UK. “ (12)
(1) Edward Malnick (20/01/24) When is the next general election? The dates Rishi Sunak is considering. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/01/20/next-uk-general-parliamentary-election-dates/
(2) Diana Young (10/90/22) Labour was traditionally the home for black voters – it shouldn’t be anymore. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/black-voter-conservatives-labour-forde-report-b2141285.html;
(3) The Voice Onlinee (07/10/23) 80% would switch vote if Labour kick Diane Abbott out. https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2023/10/07/80-would-switch-vote-if-labour-kick-diane-abbott-out/
(4) ibid.
(5) Taj Ali (20/07/22) The Forde Report Proves Labour’s Racism – And it Hasn’t Gone Away. https://tribunemag.co.uk/2022/07/forde-report-hierarchy-racism-labour-party; Anna Lamche (09/09/22) Campaign warns Labour it must stop anti-black racism found in the party. https://www.islingtontribune.co.uk/article/campaign-warns-labour-it-must-stop-anti-black-racism-found-in-the-party; Michael Steven Smith (12/07/23) How Jeremy Corbyn was toppled by the Israel lobby. https://mondoweiss.net/2023/07/how-jeremy-corbyn-was-toppled-by-the-israel-lobby/
(6) Sophia Purdy-Moore (31/01/21) Hackney Council rejects petition from charity supporting Black domestic abuse survivors. https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2021/01/31/hackney-council-rejects-petition-from-charity-supporting-black-domestic-abuse-survivors/; Antony Thrower and Katie Feehan (10/05/21) Police were wrong to block Muslim preacher Louis Farrakhan who once called Jews ‘termites’ from giving speech at event organised by Nation of Islam in London because it was a breach of human rights, High Court rules. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9563347/Police-council-pay-Nation-Islam-90-000-damages-High-Court-judge-ruling.html; Grainne Cuffe (21/11/19) Lewisham reaffirms merger of Calabash, Cinnamon Court, and Cedar Court adult day centres. https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/18052342.lewisham-reaffirms-merger-calabash-cinnamon-court-cedar-court-adult-day-centres/; Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (10/12/18) Bridge Park Complex: What do we need to do to keep it? https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/bridge-park-complex-what-do-we-need-to-do-to-keep-it-10122018/
(7) Berny Torre (18/01/24) Labour ‘corruption’ as left wing union rep barred from election for supporting Diane Abbott. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/labour-corruption-left-wing-union-rep-barred-election-supporting-diane-abbott; Richard Sudan
(8) Richard Sudan (24/10/23) From racism to Gaza, Starmer’s Labour fails its Black voters. https://www.newarab.com/opinion/racism-gaza-starmers-labour-fails-its-black-voters; Lester Holloway (01/02/23) We have the power: Black vote could decide who wins next election. https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/exclusive-news/2023/02/01/we-have-the-power/; Diane Abbott (06/01/02) Teachers are failing black boys. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/jan/06/publicservices.race; Krishnan Guru-Murthy (08/09/23) Dawn Butler MP on white feminism, Sadiq Khan, and racism In parliament. https://www.channel4.com/news/dawn-butler-mp-on-white-feminism-sadiq-khan-and-racism-in-parliament; Greg Heffer (26/04/23) Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy demands Britain pays reparations over slavery and colonialism pointing out government handed equivalent of £400bn to slave owners in 19th century – but Rishi Sunak says he won’t ‘unpick our history’. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12016013/Labour-MP-Bell-Ribeiro-Addy-demands-Britain-pays-reparations-slavery-colonialism.html; Sally Weale (21/02/23) Black people who were labelled ‘backward’ as children seek justice for lifelong trauma. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/feb/21/black-people-labelled-backward-as-children-seek-justice-for-lifelong-trauma; Bernie Grant (1993) Reparations Or Bust. http://berniegrantarchive.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Reparations-or-Bust-Speech.pdf
(9) Nadine White (21/01/24) More than 50 Windrush victims die while waiting for compensation, government admits. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/windrush-compensation-scheme-victims-die-b2481224.html; Lizzie Dearden (13/09/21) Government says discrimination against black people and Travellers ‘objectively justified’ with new laws. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/policing-bill-discrimination-black-travellers-b1919272.html
(10) Lorraine King (19/07/22) Britain First have endorsed Kemi Badenoch. https://twitter.com/lorrainemking/status/1549281161066827776
(11) iNAPP Interim National Organising Committee (28/11/15) MANIFESTO: Working Draft For Community Consultation. interim National Afrikan Peoples Parliament
(12) Ibid.
we ask the question
What political options do we have?
1) Does it make a difference who we vote for (or if we vote)?
2) Can the Afrikan community really decide election outcomes?
3) Would an iNAPP type body deliver political leverage?
4) How realistic are the prospects of establishing it?
Our Special Guest:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of over 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.