No improvement in Labour’s mistreatment of its Black members
JVL Introduction
The Guardian has, finally, reported on the mistreatment of Labour members from racialised communities; but what is happening in Birmingham is, as the Forde Report highlighted, reflected throughout the Party. Forde also found that there was a hierarchy of racism and that racism towards Black and Brown members was not treated with the seriousness needed.
This week, Labour’s National Executive Committee, dominated by those who support the current leadership, voted against recommendations by Forde and, indeed, by the EHRC, to set up an independent disciplinary process. Furthermore, the NEC voted against setting up a new organisation to represent people from racialised communities. Jess Barnard, one of the few left wing CLP representatives wrote this twitter thread about those decisions, like the piece below, it makes for dispiriting reading,
This article was originally published by The Guardian on Fri 25 Nov 2022. Read the original here.
Birmingham Labour’s BAME officer quits over review into racism row
Saima Suleman criticises review, which others have labelled a potential ‘whitewash arranged by white people’
The Labour group in Birmingham is facing further turmoil after the branch’s black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) officer resigned over a planned review into a racism row that others have labelled a potential “whitewash arranged by white people”.
The Guardian understands the councillor, Saima Suleman, has resigned from her role over concerns about the terms of reference of the review, which do not include any mention of race.
She said she was “disappointed and hurt that as the BAME officer, my views were disregarded by the leader”, adding: “Some would argue [the review] is a feeble attempt to whitewash the most serious allegations.”
Earlier this year Suleman led a survey of BAME councillors in the city, with respondents claiming there was a “toxic culture” in the local party, and leaders were accused of “not taking racism and discrimination seriously”, the Guardian revealed.
Last week the leader of the Labour group in Birmingham, Ian Ward, announced he had ordered an independent review into the culture of the party in response to the survey results. He said the review, led by “a panel of independent figures from the labour movement”, would explore the relationship and culture between the leadership and backbenchers, as well as how the group interacts with the press and trade unions.
In her resignation, Suleman said she had “expressed deep concerns with the terms of reference drafted, citing that they were not detailed enough” and more work was needed “given the seriousness of the concerns raised”.
In an email seen by the Guardian, Unison’s West Midlands regional secretary, Ravi Subramanian, said the review risked being a “whitewash arranged by white people” and said the terms of reference were “ludicrous and very offensive”.
“They do not refer to issues of race, and they bring in wholly spurious issues to investigate,” he said, adding that he had spoken to the party’s general secretary about the situation. The “leadership should not be responsible for setting their own homework”, he added, and “at the very least the BAME officer who commissioned the survey should agree to the terms of reference”.
Ward said the review would “be fully independent and in that spirit, it is only right and proper that those carrying out the review are free to establish the detailed terms of reference. They will also be given a free hand to carry out the review.”
Announcing the review last week, he said: “The recent survey conducted by the Labour group unveiled a number of concerning views about the group’s culture. On reading the report, I spoke with the general secretary of the Labour party to propose that an independent review takes place.”
He added the review and its recommendations would “help us to grow stronger as a group, and continue to deliver for the people of Birmingham who put their trust in us at May’s elections”.
A Labour group spokesperson said: “We regret councillor Suleman’s resignation as BAME officer and thank her for her efforts in the role. We have a large and diverse group and a new BAME officer will be elected to the role in due course. Group officers are in contact with councillor Suleman to discuss the reasons for her resignation and ensure that support is in place.”
The West Midlands – the beating heart of Labour First, with racism being a serious issue, especially in areas such as West Bromwich and Tipton. I used to work in Birmingham and the Black Country.
I think that people are getting less restrained when talking about and being racist.
The Forde Report will never be discussed in MSM.
Is the ‘Guardian’ the primary source of information for JVL? Beware who you call friends.