The campaign to set up Labour Party black sections was one of the key Bennite causes of the early eighties. Technically the battle was successful, in that we eventually got them.
But it did not become the bastion of the hard left initially envisaged, and seems to have collapsed at some point in the nineties.
Last year, Labour’s NEC voted to re-establish a Black Socialist Society. Around 4,000 people have since signed up, and the relaunched organisation is now in the process of electing its executive. The ballot closes on March 9.
But the process is not going smoothly. For a start, there are reports that factionalism has already emerged, even though the BSS is not yet properly up and running.
And to make matters worse, discredited former Europe minister Keith Vaz – remember his role in the Hinduja brothers ‘cash for passports’ affair? - seems to have alighted on the group as a vehicle to revive his flagging career. That's him, above left.
Britain’s largest-circulation black publication, The Voice, reports:
’There are two groups vying for the leadership, headed by interim vice-chair Ahmad Shahzad, and Lambeth councillor Kingsley Abrams.
‘Apart from the vote for the new executive, the society also has to contend with a controversial decision by Keith Vaz, MP for Leicester East, to stand for the BSS seat on Labour’s National Executive Committee.
‘… [S]ources within the BSS have raised concerns that Vaz’s decision to stand would negatively affect the influence and power of the BSS. Abrams has publicly questioned Vaz’s decision.
‘He told The Voice: "This seat was created to take the grassroots aspirations of the black community to the highest levels of the party. It was not created to form a second section for MPs. Members of Parliament already have a section to get on to the NEC."
‘He added: "Vaz will not represent grassroots organisations. He is an MP and will not necessarily have the grassroots agenda. Also, it is not in the spirit of the BSS constitution for him to do that."
‘However, a source close to Labour chair Hazel Blears, told The Voice that the inactive nature of the society meant that there were no rules to be broken …
‘"The BSS hasn’t functioned for a number of years and never got to the requisite number of members to take up that NEC seat. This is the first time that the BSS is in a position to actually take up that seat."’
Oh yes, Kingsley Abrams. Bit of a leftie back in the day, if I recall, and more recently an unsuccessful prospective parliamentary candidate. But I must admit that I haven’t followed his political career for some time.
But a Keith Vaz comeback? Spare us.
Comments (7)
The fact that Keith Vaz is so desperate to stand for the NEC seat to represent the BSS shows what an opportunists he is.
He abandoned the Platform of the Labour Party Black Section that got him elected as an MP. He openly teamed up with the Blair agenda when he became a Member of Parliament and was kicked out for bringing the Blair leadership into disrepute.
Vaz, like Paul Boateng (now Ambassador to South Africa)are men of the past, as their mate Tony Blair.
We need new and principled leadership within the Black and Asian community. Kingsley Abrams is capable and able to stay the course and is not a bootlicker, like Vaz, Boateng, David Lammy and others like them.
Kingsley deserves to be the Chair of the BSS. I encourge all members of the BSS to vote for him, as Chair and NEC member and reject Keith Vaz.
Mike Rahman (Journalist)
BSS founding member
London Borough of Southwark
Mike
I'd be interested to know the basis of the split between Shahzad and Abrams.
Shahzad is one of the most dodgy people going. He's been thrown out of the party 3 times, he tried to deselect Gerald Kaufman up in Manchester and he would try and deselect one of the only two Black women in parliament if he had his way, such is his selfish ambition to get into parliament. He must be stopped at all cost!!!!
The only difference between Kingsley Abrams and Keith Vaz is that Abrams never got the chance to enjoy the career he thinks he deserved, whereas Keith Vaz's career has gone and even Shilpa Shetty isn't going to bring it back.
Abrams was never a lefty (although possibly he may not be in favour of restoring the Iranian monarchy, if that's the measure these days).
I remember him standing as the right wing candidate for the (Labour NEC position?) in the Labour Party Young Socialists - and he was even more right after that.
Abrams or Vaz? What a choice. Any black (or any other other socialist) would rip his/her card and leave them to it.
And the BSS - clearly a den of careerists - look at the traducing of Shahzad (who I nothing about at all) above. Where's the detail 'Insider'?
'The Black Socialist Society seeks to:
- increase the recruitment of BAME people to the Labour Party
- increase the involvement and representation of BAME people within the Labour Party
-increase BAME support for the Labour Party at elections.'
Hmm - that sounds a really inspiring manifesto for change doesn't it? One might have thought some mention of anti-racism, anti-imperialism, or even just 'socialism' might have been part of an organisation calling itself the 'Black Socialist Society'. But no. 'We want black people to join and become active in a party with a record of waging neo-colonial wars abroad while demonising Muslims and migrant workers at home, and then work to increase support for that Party at election times'.
It is not surprising that nonentities and careerists can rise and dominate such an organisation...
Does this Blak society exsist, or is it in the making, why is there no contact details for the operation, personally I wish to learn more about this outfit, so that I may make a determination.
Please notify me as soon as you recieve this enquiry, as I do have an interest.
King Lion...
The BSS is a very important tool that can be used to tackle the inequality that has persisted within the labour party and indeed in the country. The labour party seems unable to demonstrate their social values and principles but continue to pay lip service to the cause of the poor. The main reason for this is very simple: the labour party as a whole has been infilterated by communists and people who do not believe in socuialism. Some of these infilterators has risen very high within the party and are in a position to stall labour values and ideals. They have become members of the labour party in order to forward their careers and do not subscribe to our values. This trend may eventually destroy the labour party because the Conservatives inspite of the absence of such unit as the BSS continue to demonstrate their true commitment to equality. We need to wake and live the true meaning of socilaism.
Micheal Antony OLAJIDE
Secreatry
Tottemham Black Socialist Society