Labour Party LABOUR PARTY BIach Bf ach Sections Sections NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 1985 SOp Handsworth Explodes THE RECENT events at Handsworth in Birmingham have provided stark evidence that much-vaunted'improvements' in the living conditions of Black people in Britain's inner cities since the uprisings of 19E0, 1981 and 1982 have been no more thân cosmetic. The Labour Party Black Sections are horrified at the deaths that occurred at Handsworth and we offer our con- dolences to the bereaved families. The Tory Gcivernment stands indicted of criminal neglect of Bri- tain's Black communities. So do Labour politicians who col- laborate with oppression by calling for heavier policing to solve the problem. Lâbour-run Birmingham is a 'partnership' authority which receives a few extra crumbs lrom the Covernment. The petty cash which has come to the area in this way has made no impact on urban decay, bad housing and a local economy which makes it an l{e do not need mo¡e oi thls klnd oi pollclné exception to be employed ifyou are young and Black. Seventy-one tinderbox because of racism and mass unemployment. per cent of Black youth aged between 16 and 20 are out of work Representatives of the National Committee visited the area at because of the Tories' vicious and divisive economic policies. The the invitation of Birmingham City councillor Amir Khan. One ol right-wingers who control Birmingham City council with the aid of them, vice chair Marc Wadsworth, said afterwards: 'Those that community godfathers have allowed themselves to be manipulated cast the troubles as inter-racial have no conception of the unity by Thatcher. Proportionately more money is lavished on leafy which exists between Asian and Afro-Caribbean working people in suburbs like Edgebaston than the inner city ghettos of Handsworth Handsworth'. and Sparkbrook. The Indian Workers Association stated firmly: 'West Indians are Yet we have heard hardly a word about these inequalities from not to blame for the riots. lt was caused by social deprivation and Labour Deputy leader Roy Hattersley, MP lor Sparkbrook, and police harassment'. Shadow housing spokesman Jeff Rooker, MP for Perry Barr, which covers part of Handsworth. lt was Rooker who called in- Gommunity Policing stead for more police. Some have required We oppose the politics of tontainment' which mean more slush suggested that what is in Handsworth is more policing. We policing funds for tommunity projects' run by the godfather mafia and community urge caution. Community be a sham provide heavier policing. Black Sections stands lor the policies of power- can and a mask to a 'human face' to heavy- policing sharing. We demand that Blâck people, alienated from participa- handed focussing on targetting and intelligence gathering which, far improving relationships police tion in mainstream politics because of past sell-outs like the pass- lrom between the and the public, police ing of racist immigration laws, must be given a real stake in the make it worse and take us one more step towards a political structures of this country. state. What is needed are not bigger and badder police riot squads but policing by consent and under democratic control. We do not need The Fire l{ext Time more police on drug squads. We do need special police units set up Time is running out for the bankrupt politicians who oppose to combat the evils of race attacks made on Black people by fascist Black rights in Britain. We must and will be allowed to speak for thugs. And we need a determination by local authorities, ourselves about how best our needs and aspirations are to be spearheaded by Labour, to evict racist tenants, not move the vic- fulfilled. Handsworth is a warning of the Fire Next Time in Brix- tims to even worse housing. ton, Toxteth, Bradford, Southall, Leicester, Moss Sidg St Pauls, and every other inner ciity area unless Black Britons receive our people fair slice of the economic, political and social cake. Splitting Black Representatives of the National Committee visited the area at Great play has been made in the media of the supposed an- the invitation of Birmingham City councillor Amir Khan. One of tagonism between Afro-Caribbean and Asian people, pointing to them, vice- chair Marc Wadsworth, said afterwards; 'Those that burnt out Asian-owned shops and ignoring burnt shops owned by cast the troubles as inter-racial have no conception of the unity Afro-Caribbeans and white people. which exists between Asian and Afro-Caribbean working people in The aim of this is to split Black people and to divert attention ' Handsworth'. away from the real causes of the riots urban decay, unemploy- The Indian Workers Association stated firmly: 'West Indians are ment and heavy-handed, racist policing.- It is hogwash to claim that not to blame for the riots. It was caused by social deprivation and Handsworth is a tinderbox because it is a multiracial area. It is a police harassment'. 2 PPCaSPEAKOUI Black Prospective ParliamentaJV Gandidates Speak Out ,N THE past few montlis we have seen a handîul oi Btack ppcb selected In wlnnable or safe Labou¡ seats, Tñfs ls a blg step lorwa¡d îrom the last lenetat etection but oî cou¡se nowhere near the numbe¡s whlch woutd rcîlectthe prcportlon of Black people ln tåls country - tfiat would rcqulre a¡ound 30 [tps. Black Sectfons have played a big role ln ensurlngl tfie selectlon oî Black PPC'S. Ulrîo¡tanately In the sefec- procødute, tlon as wítli Rlrssell P¡oîltt In Lewlsham East, out 'gteat whlte leadets' have ln thefu wlsdom reÍused to endo¡se the candldacy. ln other CLPs Black Sectlons have played a rcle öy dlscussln S wtth GC detegates and otfier party members the împortance of sefectln$ a Black candldate. Blacksectlons iave kept up the potittcalpressureä i U" ptr- ty' Without tlrem tlrese îlrst small steps would not have been taken. tt is now up to theÞattyto eisure t¡¡at the lead taken by Lewísham East, Erent Soutfi and North, Tottenham and Lefcester East ls ¡ittowe¿. BeÍow we print a staternent by Russell Prolltt on Handsworth and stafements by otfrer ppc's on Btack Sec- tlons and their candidacles. of the need for changed approaches to create Statement by Paul Boateng equality and full implementation through power We have committed ourselves in Brent South to sharing will any progress be made. work, not only for the early return of the Labour This is what we in Black Sections must and will f, Government, but to build a strong campaigning It continue to fight for. 3 organisation necessary to sustain Socialist RUSSELL PROFITT policies after the next election. Labour Prospective Candidatg l¿wisham Bast. Blacks and women have a critical role to play in È R this if, as a Partf we are to deliver on the issues of q) jobs, health and the threat world peace t{ to presented by the arms racg racism and the 5 North/South development crisis. Brent South Constituency Labour Party, in selecting me as its i prospective parliamentary candidatg has under- È t: written its belief that an all-white, overwhelmingly male Parliament Russell can never be an effective vehicle for Socialism. We are not concerned with 'More Handlworth's on tho way unlosr tokenism. I have been selected to represent all the power sharlng boglns now' !ay! Ru¡¡oll people of Brent South, black and whitg and to Profltt. contribute to the growth of a strong, broadly bas- The uncanny similarities between what has hap- ed Party, capable of winning community support pened in Handsworth, Birmingham, and the uprisings of Summer l98l ought not to be lost to the community, despite the disgraceful and unhelpful comments of prominent party spokespersons. Handsworth again highlighted the fact that Black Sectlonr and ny candldacy by l(elth u current political approaches to tackling racism Yaz o and dealing with the needs of Black people are not The Leicester East Constituency Labour party has v futile o only but hopelessly outdated. The time for not as yet established a Black Section, there are a o change is now long overdue. number of black comrades in the party and the my view, ln it is not only counter-productive, Black and Asian population of the constituency is ö but trite and facile, ,racial s to see Handsworth as now 3090 of the total. s rivalry' between Afro-Caribbean and Asian, or I consider that the Black Sections movement even between Black and white. ln truth, it is a de- has had a positive effect on the selection of all the mand f'or action in favour of the disadvantaged. BIack Prospective Parliamentary Candidates. The and involvement in the implementation Warnings of the against the continuation of present movement has raised the issue of race and racism Party's policies locally and nationally. day approaches have been loudly, clearly and in a positive and constructive way. But what is Cains have been made, both in terms of repeatedly given by the Black community, par- needed now is for the new black ppCs and the representation and policy in recent years, par_ ticularly those of us involved in the struggle for other activists in the Party to begin to formulate ticularly at a local level. The movement for Biack direct political participation. Sadl¡ these have the policies which will hopefully be included in Secctions has played a significant part in this. A been ignored or, worse, derided, by those who are the next Election Manifesto. That work must speedy and comradely resolution of the current closely associated with past failures. begin now.