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People such as Labour’s prospective, parliamentary candidate for Streatham, Chuka Umunna, and the Conservative MP for the largely white constituency of Windsor, Adam Afriyie, have been touted as potential, UK equivalents to Obama.
But would a particular type of political leadership serve the UK's black community, which is diverse in terms of locality and social class, and has its own set of perceived problems, better than another? And what problems do black leaders in the UK face when aiming for the top?
One problem black leaders face is a lack of visibility. Just 5 out of 646 MPs are black. Black people make up two per cent of the population so there is an argument for a quota.
There are four black Members of the European Parliament and 28 black peers. There is one, black, Welsh Assembly member and one member of the Scottish parliament from an ethnic minority. Over time, various initiatives have been suggested to create a political system more reflective of multi-culturalism in the UK, such as all-black short-lists – an issue black and Asian MPs are split over.
Speaking to a range of people in the black community about black leaders in the UK, some easily named examples such as Diane Abbott MP.
But some, such as Professor Gus John, of the University of Strathclyde, initially stumbled at the question before citing Sir Herman Ouseley, the former head of the Commission for Racial Equality.
Professor John says: “I find it difficult to answer… It depends what you define leadership to be. In terms of political leadership, I’m hard-pressed to name anyone. But clearly, there are lots of individuals who do interesting and important things.”
While a list of black leaders in the UK could be identified, there would be some debate about who should be on it and why, from both within and outside of the black community. A black community exists in the UK to the extent that they share a West Indian or African, cultural experience as black people of the first, second or third generation living in the UK. For example, they may eat the same things or be targeted by niche media such as the New Nation, a black newspaper.
History has always belittled black leaders in the UK when compared to their international and iconic counterparts such as Malcolm X, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Marcus Garvey or Martin Luther King Jnr. The contributions of the UK’s Dr Harold Moody, founding member of the civil-rights organisation, the League of Coloured Peoples established in 1931, are less well known.
Through history, black leaders in the world have adopted differing, leadership styles including Pan-Africanism, nationalism and traditional, mainstream, political processes, each with their pros and cons.
Black Nationalism, often associated with the Jamaican Marcus Garvey, relies on principles of black pride, economic, political and social freedom, and the future of Africa.
Pan-Africanism, heralded by scholar William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, is a socio-political outlook, a moral philosophy and a movement, derived from the trans-atlantic slave trade, aiming to empower and unite black people in a global community. In the UK, black nationalism and Pan-Africanism could tackle issues such as youth crime in the black community, stepping in where traditional politics is failing.
In the UK, key, Pan-Africanist leadership includes Toyin Agbetu, of the Pan-African, human-rights organisation, Ligali, established in 2000 to challenge the misrepresentation of African people in the British media. Toyin, aged 41, is wary of African leaders getting to the top if they do little to represent their community.
He received global, Press coverage in 2007 when he vocally protested during the service at Westminster Abbey held to commemorate the bicentenary of the 1807 Act to abolish the slave trade. His actions motivated by Pan Africanist ideals led to his arrest for breach of the peace.
The 'radical' nature of Pan-Africanism demonstrates how it would have limited use in the UK in 2008. Toyin's arrest also demonstrates a problem black leaders face in that their actions are sometimes deemed threatening in the same way former prime minister Margaret Thatcher once deemed Nelson Mandela a terrorist.
But, while some of Toyin's views may be deemed controversial, he is surprisingly shy. He embraces cultural heritage, anti-capitalism, environmentalism, human rights, in particular women’s rights, a ‘responsibility’ to the community and socialist values of wealth distribution, saying:
“If we can improve the lives of Africans, we can improve the lives of everyone.”
Anthony Thomas, aged 32, who studied philosophy, believes that, to truly improve the life of everyone, you must embrace traditional, political processes rather than simply black nationalism or Pan-Africanism. He has always had an interest in politics and “trying to change the world and the situation of African people around the world.”
He studied black history when he was “a lot younger and impetuous”. He says:
“I had the inclination that we had to move away from the ranting, raving and the rhetoric to create a constructive programme. I found out we need to go beyond just talking about race. One of the key things we’ve never been able to do is actually build a social and economic base of our own and that’s a big problem.
“The main difficulty is finding a situation where you can effect some real change. I think there’s not a strong platform to articulate a new vision for the black community, there’s nowhere to go.”
In 2003, Anthony created a voluntary organization, Hip-Hop Generation UK, to identify the politics of a new generation. It campaigned for the minimum wage, among other issues. Members received training in active citizenship, the political process, and the art of politics, and had the opportunity to be involved in trying to empower people and bring about change in the community.
Anthony is not a big fan of hip-hop, so it was more about the message than the music or being a rap crew, as some people expected.
His work has included meetings with Barack Obama, the Revd Al Sharpton, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Revd Jesse Jackson.
But, in long-held plans, he is moving away from the ‘limitations’ of community politics, such as the lack of ability to influence on a large scale. He says:
“Our target audience was not used to paying to join membership organisations such as Hip-Hop Generation UK.”
Humble, but ambitious, Anthony is entering party politics as a prospective Liberal Democrat candidate. He says some of the things, which need to be changed, cannot be done unless you engage in the mainstream, suggesting the best solution for the black leaders is mainstream politics.
“The overall aim from the beginning was to get myself to this stage where we could at least run for mayor or something, not really follow the path of the old, black leadership who haven’t stood up and run for anything and made a real challenge.”
Mainstream politics has advantages for black leaders, but it offers compromises. Anthony says:
“I suppose there’s a big possibility that you could be censored, but I hope that I have enough integrity to stand up for what I believe in. I’m not necessarily taking a stance. I’m just trying to explain. People have to make the decisions… and try to see where we can go from there.” – a democratic approach.
But how far could he go with the party machinery? Could the UK have a black prime minister? Anthony says:
“I wouldn’t rule it out. I don’t think people only vote based on race. I think people vote based on ideas. The new, black leadership needs to move more to understanding policies – globalisation, the economic credit crunch, rather than just saying I’m black.”
Some black political figures have been brought down, if only by the media. Ray Lewis deputy mayor for youth was forced to resign on 4 July following allegations of misconduct made by the Church of England.
Race-equality campaigner Lee Jasper, the deputy mayor of London under Ken Livingstone, resigned in March, 2008. Although neither charged nor convicted, he left following allegations that he was involved in mismanagement of funding for black, community organisations such as Brixton Base and the Black Londoners' Forum. The forum, of which Anthony Thomas is a board member, is subsequently at financial risk of closure.
Anthony feels a problem some, black, independent, grassroots leaders face is a lack of support in the community, the case with Lee Jasper, whom Anthony has known, supported and been inspired by, for ten years.
The electoral results of Winston McKenzie speak volumes. Winston, aged 51, came last in the 2008 mayor of London elections and he was the first and only, black candidate. In the election, he received 5,389 first-choice votes (0.22 per cent) and 38,954 second-choice votes (1.94 per cent.)
Winston felt the media, even the black media, unfairly pushed the three main candidates: Labour’s Ken Livingstone, Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick, and the eventual winner for the Conservatives, Boris Johnson. Media bias is another problem black leaders have to contend with.
However, it must be noted that Winston’s cause may not have been helped by his not paying the £10,000 to publish his manifesto on the London Elects web-site or in the booklet distributed to every, registered voter.
Also, in the early days of campaigning, his web-site, www.mckenzie4mayor.co.uk/, was only partially completed. A consequence may have been people not realising there was a black candidate. But the estimated turnout in the 2008, London mayoral election was 45 per cent - 2.4 million people. Black people traditionally vote Labour, but many don't vote because they feel unrepresented and alienated according to a report titled ‘How to achieve better BME political representation’ produced by Operation Black Vote (OBV) in May 2008. If black people don't vote, how far can black leaders go in the UK relying on non-black votes alone?
Black leaders need to influence non-black voters as well as tackling issues pertinent to the black community, such as stop and search. Winston says the people he spoke to were more concerned with his policies than his race, suggesting at least that race is not an issue for many voters.
There are black mayors in the UK outside London. Anthony is undeterred by Winston’s mayoral defeat. He says:
“I don’t know if people see Winston McKenzie as a credible candidate.”
Former boxer Winston may bounce back from defeat, but the knockout punch, which will secure a win for black leaders, is when the UK has a black prime minister. Chuka Umunna, aged 29, shares his race and career with Obama as an employment lawyer of dual heritage. Chuka also runs www.tmponline.org, an online magazine and forum for left leaning British Black, Asian and minority ethnic people. In regard to being compared to Obama, he says: "I'm extremely flattered, but I wouldn’t dream of comparing myself to him.
“We have a similar background, which is perhaps why people make the comparison, but it almost feels an arrogant thing to do to compare myself to him. I think I’m Streatham’s Chuka Umunna."
Though Chuka is humble, he is confident about a black prime minister being a possibility.
OBV runs five, award-winning, mentoring schemes which produce good candidates who shadow MPs, magistrates and councillors, and may fulfill the possibility of a black prime minister.
Simon Woolley, the director of OBV, is confident significant, black leaders are possible in the UK, particularly multi-cultural London, especially if black people's self-belief can be affirmed. This is another problem facing black leaders and the black community in the UK: a lack of belief in politics as demonstrated by low election turnout.
But the party-political route can be a barrier for black leaders. Firstly, black, as a political term, includes any, non-white people, and this may be an issue if leaders are to put community interests first. If so, which community should they represent? But MPs should represent constituencies and often get a hard time for not getting the balance right. Chuka says it’s a challenge for most of the black MPs he knows, who often do unreported work for the community. Black political leaders cannot go far if they are biased.
But the solution for black leadership could lie outside mainstream politics. It could be in representation in other institutions such as religion, arts, and the community. Bishop Dr Joe Aldred says:
“Christian leaders need to stand up and be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.”
Dami Akinnusi, with her film, Malcolm’s Echo, demonstrated that “there are millions of Malcolm Xs. We simply have to pay attention to them.”
While Anthony cannot see where hip-hop is leading black people, activist and Professor Angela Davis says:
“I was struck by what Ken Saro-Wiwa said in his last book. Art must transform the lives of a community and a nation and we can save the world.”
People such as Anthony Thomas demonstrate the limitation of black nationalism or Pan-Africanism. His choice to go into mainstream politics proves that traditional, political processes have their advantages in advancing black leaders in the UK. It is only in democratic, political arenas that black leaders can be elevated to the highest heights to represent their community while improving the lives of all.
But, as Toyin says:
“We mustn’t fall into the trap of the Messiah complex, where people are constantly waiting for the mythical one to be everything to everyone.”
Instead, the black community must unite to find creative solutions to the political, social and economic issues it faces.
The UK Corner covers the UK/British soul/urban music scene and is written by Fiona McKinson. She is a freelance journalist and creative writer based in London. Contact her at info@thetalentshow.co.uk.
