THE ANTI-BLACK racism crisis encircling Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour escalated as a white man who indulged in sickening racial stereotypes on stage at a Black History Month event was picked as a candidate in a safe seat.

Meanwhile, in another London constituency several party members resigned in protest at Labour’s decision to block a popular anti-racism campaigner from seeking the nomination to be MP.

The contrast between Labour endorsing a white candidate who joked about having “the worst tan possible for a black man” and rejecting a black candidate on grounds he once liked a tweet by Green Party MP Caroline Lucas is set to further inflame tensions over racism and the party.

Darren Rodwell was selected as Labour candidate to fight Barking at the next general election despite promoting racist black caricatures by taking to stage dressed in African garb claiming he had “the passion for the rhythm of the African and the Caribbean”.

Rodwell ‘joked’ that he had “the worst tan possible for a black man” and pronounced African as ‘Afrikaan’ – similar to how white Afrikaaners in South Africa describe themselves. He went on to  suggest he used to do “swing dance” and “jiggling about”.

Rodwell, who was wearing lion slippers at the time, was videoed making the offensive comments during a Black History Month event in the east London borough.

Rodwell issued an apology and denied he is racist, and is now on course to represent a constituency with a sizeable black population.

Following an internal investigation, Rodwell was cleared of wrongdoing by Labour’s NEC and is set to replace veteran Labour MP Margaret Hodge, who is standing down at the next general election.

At the same time there is growing unhappiness in Camberwell and Peckham over the decision to block popular campaigner and councillor Maurice Mcleod from standing to replace retiring MP Harriet Harman.

Three members of the selection committee have resigned in protest. In a statement announcing the news, they said that the selection committee members “had not been provided with any reason” for the ousting of Mcleod and added that “reports suggest the reasons are all bogus or trivial.”

They state “We have no alternative but to conclude that the outcome of this selection is being fixed to exclude socialists and anti-racism campaigners from the chance to represent Labour in Parliament.

“We will not sign off on a fraudulent process and, unless a fair process is initiated instead, the outcome and legitimacy of the selected candidate will always be compromised.”

The statement was tweeted from the official constituency Labour Party account.

Commenting on the Rodwell case in Barking, a spokesperson from the campaign group Momentum, said: “The evidence clearly shows that the Labour Party sat on an evidenced complaint of anti-black racism and only conducted any kind of investigation once it received press coverage. 

“There is a growing list of left-wing black and Muslim candidates are being blocked, often for the most spurious of reasons. This rotten state of affairs is more shameful still when you consider the mistreatment of Apsana Begum. It’s clear that the ‘hierarchy of racism’ confirmed by the Forde Report is alive and kicking in Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. 

“There are a number of selections for key Parliamentary seats now starting, with high profile BAME left-wingers standing. The pressure is now on the Party to treat these people fairly.”

Race Equality campaigner and trade unionist Zita Holbourne told The Voice: “Racism must be taken seriously by the Labour Party. There should be zero tolerance. That anybody elected to office in the Labour Party would think it okay to conduct themselves in this way, at a Black History Month Event of all places, is beyond me.

“Attempting to justify it with an apology does not instill any confidence that they have learned lessons or understand why and how it was inappropriate. 

“But of late, it seems like politicians across the spectrum are permitted to repeatedly break the rules, apologize or resign and continue or return to office and carry on.

“The fact that the Labour Party found this behaviour to be acceptable is of great concern but we have seen a growing situation of race not being high on the party’s agenda which is disappointing to say the least and does not instill faith in black members or voters.”

In recent weeks, claims of internal racism plaguing the party have intensified with many in the black community remaining frustrated at Keir Starmer’s failure to acknowledge and deal with the findings of the Forde Report.

Read our investigation into Labour anti-black racism here.