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'We are addressing the lack of BME candidates in the Conservative party': Cameron

Tory leader says he wants more powerful voice for UK's BMEs

The Conservative party is trying to win over Britain's black voters but its leader is refusing to back the call for a public apology for slavery.

David Cameron displayed his 'chameleon' characteristics last week as he vowed to be a 'leader for the black community' if he gets into power, but said that there was no need for a slavery apology or reparations.

In an exclusive interview with The Voice, Cameron said that he had a clear mandate to change the old image of the Conservative party and one of his aims was to get greater black representation.

"I've said very clearly that I want to change the Conservative party. I want it to reflect the population that supported us before," he said.

"That means getting back into our cities. It means how we select candidates. I suspended our candidate selection when I was elected and sorted out a new priority list which is an equal balance of men and women.

"And as well as having more than 50 per cent women on our priority list, it will always be my ambition to make sure that the percentage of BME candidates is greater than in the population at large."

He continued: "The BME population is running at seven to eight percent and we're actually running 11 per cent BME candidates on our priority list. My aspiration is to keep that above seven per cent and make sure it goes all the way through to those candidates being selected for winnable seats.

"So I'm hoping for a much better balance in the parliamentary party. At the last election we had more BME candidates than any other party, but they weren't in winnable seats. That's what my priority list will change."

He added, "The priority list is the right way to address the gender balance and the lack of BME candidates in the Conservative party. If it doesn't work I'll consider other alternatives. We've made some progress, but we've got a long way to go."

Cameron maintained that he intended to deliver on black representation: "The test for me is the thing about candidates. I think that is very important. It's not about political correctness. If you want to understand the way different communities look at different issues, you've got to have representatives sitting round the table."

However, he refused to call on the government to offer an apology for Britain's involvement in the slave trade and dismissed the idea of reparations.

He said: "The first thing to remember is that the slave trade has not yet been totally abolished. There is still slavery taking place in the world and there is still virtual slavery taking place in this country in terms of gang masters and illegal workers paid poverty wages and not treated properly."

He continued: "I don't actually think that government apologising about something that happened hundreds of years ago moves us on a great deal.

"There's no doubt about it that just as Britain has a proud past in helping to abolish the slave trade, so Britain has some shameful episodes in the past in funding the slave trade. We should all admit to that and understand it and teach history properly in our schools. Let's understand our history, the good and the bad bits. Where there are good bits, understand why we should be ashamed of the bad bits, but apologies don't do it for me."

He continued: "I think there are debts that we owe to countries and we have obligations particularly in Africa where there are people getting poorer as we get richer. We should focus on that, rather than on trying to make financial corrections for things that have gone on two centuries ago or more. I think that's the right way to understand our obligations. Our moral obligation today is to do something about poverty in sub-saharan Africa."

On the question of Britain's support for Africa, he explained that more could be done.

"The proposals the government has made about debt relief and trade are all worthwhile. I think the piece that is missing, and what I'm keen for the Conservative party to push, is property rights and wealth creation and helping people in those countries to become richer.

"I want the emphasis on development to move on to how we can help Africans create sustainable businesses, have property rights and generate wealth. That is the long term issue."

He argued that Labour has taken the black community for granted for far too long and vowed to woo black voters to his camp.

"The Conservatives have got a great opportunity to reach out to those communities, and for good reasons," he said.

He added that there were parallels between Conservative values and the black community.

"There are issues that we believe in. Giving schools freedom to do certain things. There was a project in Crystal Palace which placed a real emphasis on discipline and attendance. I think that's so important. If you're not at school, you can't learn."

He continued, "Those issues are the ones that I talk to black people about - on educational attainment, issues of family and strengthening family, also issues of supporting the voluntary sector."

Published: 04 May 2006
Issue: 1216

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