Jermain jacks in Labour ‘BAME’ contest over stitch-up

Singer says union support for controversial candidate means there is no point in running

EMPOWER: Jermain Jackman says Labour is not allowing black members to organise (Pic: Guy Smallman/Getty Images)

SINGER AND political activist Jermain Jackman has sensationally quit the race to be Labour’s ‘BAME’ representative in protest at a union stitch-up.

The winner of ITV’s ‘The Voice’ talent competition fumed that trade unions should have consulted their own black and Asian members before deciding who to back for the ‘BAME’ post on the party’s ruling National Executive Committee.

The big unions are all backing the incumbent Carol Sewell, who was previously criticised for trying to remove the word ‘racism’ from the terms of reference for the Forde Inquiry.

Jackman previously won the popular vote of ‘BAME’ party members in 2020, but lost out to Sewell because unions have 50% of the votes in the contest.

“I’M IN CONTROL NOW”: Sir Keir Starmer takes full responsibility for what happens on his watch (Pic: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

The decision of the big unions affiliated to Labour – Unite, Unison and the GMB – to all back Sewell means “there’s no point” in running, Jackman told The Voice.

He supported the union-Labour link but called for “a review and reform of internal processes”, adding that black and Asian union members should demand that BAME democratic structures are consulted about who to support in the future.

Writing in LabourList today, Jackman said: “The dysfunction of BAME Labour and lack of effective democratic structures in the Labour Party deny Black and other members from Global Majority communities the ability to organise, mobilise and empower each other – leaving us without proper representation within our own movement.

“When I saw that all trade unions had already made their decision without the effective consultation of their own BAME membership, I stood down – refusing to continue in what I see as an undemocratic election, and where the interests of a handful of Trade Unions can determine the interests of all Black Labour Party members.”

Many black members remain furious at Labour for an ‘insulting and complacent’ response to the Forde Report which found the party were “operating a hierarchy of racism.”

A statement from the party blamed everything on the regime of Jeremy Corbyn, even though the victims of racism revealed in WhatsApp messages were black MPs who supported Corbyn – Diane Abbott, Dawn Butler and Clive Lewis.

The Labour statement said: “Starmer’s in control now.”

Butler wrote in The Voice that Labour’s reponse to Forde had “not been good enough” while Kate Osamor MP writing on LabourList that Labour risks creating a “hostile environment” for black members unless it addresses the Forde Report.

The Voice has seen a letter addressed to Starmer from black members, which is currently collecting signatures, expressing “grave concern” that Labour had failed to admit the party had breached the Equality Act.

The letter protests over rumours that the long-promised National BAME conference has “apparently been deferred.”

There is also frustration that Labour has still not delivered on setting up a BAME members structure, despite promising this in 2018. That structure was intended to hold the BAME NEC representative accountable.

Comments Form

8 Comments

  1. | Ivor Etienne

    Far too long the Labour Party has disrespected the black vote – time for a change!

    Reply

  2. | Grafton Straker

    Why would Carol Sewell want to remove the word RACISM from the terms of references what’s going on in the Labour Party it’s becoming a joke
    Being in the party what’s do they stand for and who do they represented it’s getting ridiculous now

    Reply

  3. | Reederwan Craayenstein

    The current BAME NEC Representative has consistently voted against the interests of BAME members of the Labour Party and trade unions.

    She has also been wrong on the Forde Report. Allegation 6 is an indictment of her vote against including Racism in Forde’s terms of reference.

    The Labour Party in institutionally racist towards black people including Muslims. Forde recognises the hierarchy of racism.

    The HQ and party bureaucracy is white and male recruited in a nepotism network. Forde says this monoculture is toxic.

    Stsrmer does not treat anti-black racism and Islamophobia with the same urgency as his own self-declared priority.

    Critical black voices, Muslims and anti-Zionist Jews as well as leftwing white activists are still expelled on an industrial scale witch-hunt.

    The Forde Report like the leaked anti-Semitism is an indictment. The perpetrators were promoted in the party and their trade unions.

    If Starmer and Evans were interested and capable, the Forde Report could help to heal the party. But, I fear that they are not interested.

    The current BAME NEC Representative is silent about these issues.

    The trade unions are not obliged to confirm her.

    Jermain withdrew because it does not appear that the Labour Party cares about black people. Yet at least 50 constituencies have black majorities. At least 150 constituencies depend on which way the majority of black people vote. Usually 75% of black people vote Labour. Starmer and Evans are taking black people for granted.

    Reply

  4. | Claude Hendrickson

    You really have to wonder why BME groups and Communities even vote Labour trade unions have always been against us ever since the 1st people landed on the Windrush some things just haven’t changed they will always choose a housey and the Name Sewell seems to be 1 they like (Sorry to all them with name Sewell) hope you understand my point

    Reply

  5. | Chaka Artwell

    The Caucasian Middle-class Feminists and “diversity, inclusion & equality” Liberal & Labour & Green Left, only wants Her Majesty’s African-heritage Subjects to keep to our place at the back; not heard, not given a voice, and rarely seen.

    The reason the big unions are all backing the incumbent Carol Sewell, is because African-heritage Ms Carol Sewell is COMPLIANT, like most of the “diverse” African-heritage people in Parliament and English Public Life.

    Ms Carol is of African-heritage and appearance; but Ms Carol represents the Marxist Labour Left, far more than the struggles and concerns of Her Majesty’s African-heritage Subjects.

    Having high profile African-heritage men and women whose fealty is to the Caucasian power-structure is the principal reasons for the forty year total failure of Her Majesty’s African-heritage Subjects to become an politically independent people, with our own Parliamentary Lobby.

    Reply

  6. | Domanic

    Standard. BAME only in name. They half make these structures to tick a box in hope that we don’t look any deeper.
    We need to organise and MAKE these structures work for us

    Reply

  7. | Auvil Graham

    It’s upsetting but understandable why Jermaine has opted to withdraw. I’m a proud trade unionist but I know that union bosses only believe in democracy when it suits their vested interests. Starmer gets away when it again.

    Reply

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