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WORLD: BRITISH ELECTIONS
Ethnic Minorities To Play Vital Role
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| Mohammed Riaz with Conservative Party leader
William Hague whom he advises on ethnic minorities affairs
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According to OBV,
there are enough ethnic minority voters to determine the outcome in at
least 100 marginal constituencies throughout the UK. In 60 of the seats,
the number of black and Asian voters exceeds the sitting MPs margin of
victory in the last election. Yet not enough is being done, claims the
group, to address concerns of the ethnic minority electorate, or to increase
Asian and black representation in Parliament. "It is scandalous that
none of the parties have put up more black candidates in winnable seats,"
says Vishwanathan.
Countering this criticism, Vara explains that
it's all part of cutting one's teeth, and cites the example of former
prime minister John Major who fought twice before becoming an MP. "Almost
all MPs have had to contest difficult seats to gain experience. The notion
that a candidate is given a useless seat because they are Asian is nonsense,"
he asserts.
Another candidate who may agree with Vara is
Parmjit Dhanda, Labour PPC for Gloucester. At 29, he's already a veteran
politico, having joined the Labour Party at the age of 17. He has since
worked as a Labour Party organiser in West London, Hampshire and Wiltshire,
stood as candidate in the European elections in 1999, and is currently
assistant national organiser for Connect, the communications professionals
union. "I'm young, but I'm confident that my track record stands
me in good stead," says Dhanda.
For his first UK general election contest, Dhanda
has landed a plum Labour seat where the incumbent has decided not to run.
But prior to that, the Tories had held it for 27 years. "This is
a must-win seat. The Conservatives desperately want it back," he
says.
Dhanda, who did a masters in information technology,
is demonstrative of the changing face of new Labour. "We've learnt
a lot about modern campaigning methods. I've been part of that, working
as an agent in campaigns. We learnt a lot from Clinton, and indeed from
the Conservative Party, about presentation. We just happen to do it better,"
he asserts.
Vara and Dhanda are unusual among the current
crop of Asian candidates in that neither is relying on an Asian electorate.
Their constituencies have a mainly white population. Not so Khalid Mamood,
Labour PPC for Birmingham Perry Barr, which has a significant Asian and
black population, as well as the highest elderly population in western
Europe. Race isn't a fundamental local issue here, believes Mamood. Provisions
for the elderly, health, and employment, however, are. An engineering
graduate, Mamood has been working with the Labour Party for 12 years,
and stood for European elections in 1998. "No one gives you a seat.
You have to work for the chance to prove that you will work for your constituency,"
he asserts.
Conservative PPC Mohammed Riaz is waiting in
the wings in the marginal seat of Bradford West. Riaz asserts that in
Bradford West, as much as 35 per cent of the electorate is Asian, mostly
Muslim, and is confident of winning their votes.
He cites Kashmir as the "number three"
key local issue, after schools and rising crime. Indeed, prior to Marsha
Singh winning in the last election, Bradford West had been held since
1983 by Max Madden, a vociferous supporter of Kashmiri self-determination.
The swing away from Labour in 1997 was seen as reflective of local communal
aspirations, in a seat where the Conservative Party has typically polled
less than 10 per cent.
No matter what the polls predict, nobody's giving
up the fight. For all the cliches they may utter on June 8, "I could
have been a contender" is one they would most like to avoid.
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