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LEWISHAM: Race advisor slams Lewisham Labour over 'apartheid system'

1:23pm Monday 23rd November 2009 in News

David Michael David Michael

A RACE and equality advisor to the Mayor has resigned from the Lewisham Labour Party claiming it runs an “apartheid system”.

David Michael, chairman of Lewisham Local Police Consultative Group and Sir Steve Bullock’s advisor on community cohesion, was due to contest the Whitefoot ward in 2010 but has resigned claiming he was not supported by branch members.

A former policeman and the first black constable to be stationed in Lewisham in the early 1970s, he claims the resignation was sparked by the selection of Councillor Heidi Alexander to succeed Bridget Prentice MP.

Mr Michael claims “outstanding black candidate” Florence Nosegbe should have been chosen instead.

He said: “I didn’t go off in a huff. My reasons for resigning are fundamentally to do with the whole of Lewisham Labour Party’s structures, systems and procedures.”

Mr Michael, a resident of Catford for 26 years, says he and a number of other ethnic minority candidates have been marginalised by the party in a “scandalous apartheid system”, being put forward for unwinnable seats and given no support.

He said: “We should be having a party that looks like Lewisham but people in charge at a high level are completely ignoring that.”

Out of Labour’s 26 councillors, just five are from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Mr Michael is considering running for mayor or even Parliament as an independent candidate.

He said: “I’m totally against tokenism - there are lots of talented black members.

“But those candidates aren’t given what they perceive to be safe seats or strong, winnable seats.

“They’re are relegated to whatever’s left. That’s rotten. It’s rotten to the core.

“In terms of recent selections I’ve been involved in, black people can forget about it.”

Liberal Democrat member of the Local Police Consultative Group Councillor Duwayne Brooks said: “David Michael deserves better than to be treated so shabbily by Labour and by what appears to be a small clique in Lewisham who are only concerned with doing favours for their mates.”

But Sir Steve Bullock's said: "I have worked closely with David on issues affecting our community in Lewisham and have valued his work. It is unfair to say that the local Labour Party doesn't encourage and support its black and ethnic minority members.

“There is always more that can be done but in the last 18 months, Lewisham Labour Party has run a number of events specifically aimed at encouraging participation by black and minority ethnic members."

Leader of Lewisham Labour Party Councillor Alan Hall said: "We rebut this completely. We've got more ethnic minority candidates this time round than ever.

"If you look at the diversity within the elected Lewisham Labour councillors now compared to other parties there's a range of ethnicities and women candidates."

Comments(7)

Mike Harris says...
4:05pm Mon 23 Nov 09

It's a real shame that David Michael has left the Labour party.

But as a member of the Lewisham East Labour Party, I don't think David's comments are at all accurate.

Florence Nosegbu, David's favoured candidate to replace Bridget, did well in the selection process and came second place to Heidi Alexander.

At the selection meeting were local Labour party members representing all of our diverse community.

Of course Labour could do more to help BME candidates, but if we look at the Council, it's Labour that is the most diverse party.

The Liberal Democrats don't have a single ethnic minority MP.

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Cllr Dan Houghton says...
5:08pm Mon 23 Nov 09

Mike Harris fails to mention that he is standing for Labour in the council elections in Lewisham next May. He also fails to mention Mr Michael's criticisms of all aspects of Lewisham labour's selection process - he is not just referring to the parliamentary selection but also the council selection. Mr Michael has stated that "The local branch does not reflect the Labour party or the local people. He concluded, “Others may be happy to operate under a scandalous apartheid system accepting that they are second class citizens, but there is no way I can continue in an organisation that is presenting itself like that. I do not want to hoodwink the locals”.

Add this to Labour's bizarre BNP-style campaign in the Downham byelection earlier this year and it is easy to see why people like David Michael decided to walk.

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Mike Harris says...
4:52pm Tue 24 Nov 09

Our record speaks for itself - in 2006, the Liberal Democrats had 1 BME Councillor, Labour had 5.

In 2006, nationally the Liberal Democrats didn't have a single BME MP.

The Lewisham Liberal Democrats are desperate to smear Labour as they've come third (London Mayoral: 2008) or fourth (EU: 2009) in every major election in the borough since 2006.

Now that desperation has set in, you're playing the race card. It's a poor show.

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Cllr Dan Houghton says...
5:20pm Tue 24 Nov 09

Labour's record does speak for itself - not a single afro-caribbean candidate selected in Perry Vale, Rushey Green, Bellingham, Crofton Park or Catford South wards.

I think David's words sum up the situation quite accurately: "In terms of recent selections I’ve been involved in, black people can forget about it".

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David MICHAEL says...
6:40pm Tue 24 Nov 09

The breathtaking arrogance, disdain, dismissiveness by Councillor Alan Hall in the public domain to issues of serious concern to Lewisham's electorate and in particular BME members of Lewisham's communities. Issues which should be of serious concern to every member of Lewisham Labour Party and I know are of great concern to BME members of Lewisham Labour Party because some of them are still raising the troubling issues with me after my resignation. So if Councillor Hall is comfortable displaying those attitudes and behaviour in the public domain, the mind boggles at what his conduct must be in private with his favoured mates. Mike Harris and Sir Steve Bullock had the good grace to acknowledge that more needs to be done. My argument with indisputable evidence is that much much more needs to be done. The likes of Councillor Alan Hall as Leader of the Labour Group actually needs to begin taking some notice of Labour Party policies on diversity, equalities, fairness and fair play and begin putting the issues of Ethnic Minorities Officers, Ethnic Minorities Forums and their significant role in the overall Lewisham Labour Party campaign and recruitment of members on his agenda at CLP, BLGC and Labour Group meetings. Show us Councillor Hall when you begin to do what the Labour Party says you should be doing....... I am sure the voters in Bellingham and beyond would want to know.

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David MICHAEL says...
6:44pm Tue 24 Nov 09

The breathtaking arrogance, disdain, dismissiveness by Councillor Alan Hall in the public domain to issues of serious concern to Lewisham's electorate and in particular BME members of Lewisham's communities. Issues which should be of serious concern to every member of Lewisham Labour Party and I know are of great concern to BME members of Lewisham Labour Party because some of them are still raising the troubling issues with me after my resignation. So if Councillor Hall is comfortable displaying those attitudes and behaviour in the public domain, the mind boggles at what his conduct must be in private with his favoured mates. Mike Harris and Sir Steve Bullock had the good grace to acknowledge that more needs to be done. My argument with indisputable evidence is that much much more needs to be done. The likes of Councillor Alan Hall as Leader of the Labour Group actually needs to begin taking some notice of Labour Party policies on diversity, equalities, fairness and fair play and begin putting the issues of Ethnic Minorities Officers, Ethnic Minorities Forums and their significant role in the overall Lewisham Labour Party campaign and recruitment of members on his agenda at CLP, BLGC and Labour Group meetings. Show us Councillor Hall when you begin to do what the Labour Party says you should be doing....... I am sure the voters in Bellingham and beyond would want to know.

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K1rky says...
11:57am Fri 27 Nov 09

Fella needs to get that huge chip off his shoulder. If Labour has had to run events to try and persuade "ethnic minorities" to run for seats then surely that shows that maybe, just maybe the ethnics DO NOT WANT TO BECOME A PART OF POLITICS. The best people should be voted in for the job, not for the colour of their skin for christ sake. If Labour is trying to reach out to minorities then its obvious the minorities don't give a toss about MP's with their noses in the trough

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