Ming Campbell has said that the Police are alienating ethnic minority communities by over-using stop and search powers.
Does he not think that ethnic minority communities might take him more seriously if his Party had a single black or Asian MP? I'm not saying the Conservative Party has covered itself in glory in this area, but we do at least have several black and Asian MPs in safe seats in rural areas - something the LibDems can only dream about.
I'm not actually meaning to make a great party political point here but I am genuinely perplexed by the fact that the LibDems do so badly in selecting ethnic minority candidates in winnable seats.
27 comments:
Lets cut the politically correct crap and speak honestly for once.
Perhaps the police are searching so many blacks and asian because they make up the bulk of criminals in many parts of our towns and cities these days.
And as for having more black and asian MP's, yeah, all we need are more Keith Vazs, David Lammys, and Shahid Maliks.
Given the rise in knife and gun carrying in certain parts of London it may be that many people would welcome greater stopping and searching.
The prime beneficiaries of which would be the groups of people who are the greatest victims of gun and knife crime - go figure.
Its surely almost immoral to insist that certain groups aren't protected against crime by effective policing, as it will get your party more votes.
Iain new topic needed:
HMS Cornwall
-Who has set the Royal Navy's Rules of Engagement that have allowed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to snatch 15 Brits in IRAQI waters apparently under the Guns of a £500m warship?
Why wasn't the Royal Navy allowed to protect its own men?
We look weak, if not stupid, and our servicemen threatened because this Government is playing a game of Hokey Cokey with its commitment to the area.
Gordon's nose picking is in the press: today's Metro and Tom Utley's mentioned it in the Mail apparently.
Will Gordon's career take a nosedive?
If Ming represented a real English Inner-City area he might be more relevant than being a childless Scottish barrister completely out of touch with the violent world children encounter in growing up today
Iain, the difference is that, given the bias of our voting system against third parties, often it is the individual Lib Dem who him/herself MAKES the seat winnable for that party.
Umm. The Tories' track record with ethnic minority candidates in winnable seats? Where was that unfortunate business with Lord Taylor of Warwick again? Ah yes Cheltenham. Stones and greenhouses my dear chap.
Yes, 15 years ago. Adam Afriye, Shailesh Vara, Priti Patel...
And the LibDems?
Iain, to follow your logic to the end, the only people who should comment on ethnic minority issues would be those so-called 'champions' of ethnic minority rights like Ken Livingstone.
If Ming Campbell has a point to make, he should make it, regardless of the ethnic 'make-up' of the LibDem benches.
I'm not a big fan of this 'you are not qualified to speak about minority rights' business. It is that sort of thing that has led to certain sections of the illogical Left hijacking these issues for their own gain.
However, on the specific point that Ming raised, I agree with man in a shed that these measures are necessary to prevent crime.
Leicester South! Of yes and there is a Ethnic Minority Lib Dem MEP in the North West.
"in safe seats in rural areas"
Why the qualification? What's wrong with a safe seat in an urban area?
The LDs did, of course, have an Asian MP until the last election. Parmjit Singh Gill, from Leicester South.
As you know this is an extremely difficult issue for parties. You yourself saw and led the reaction to the Tory A List - white men are now effectively being discriminated against, and that is definitely the case in the LDs now. It's a long and traumatic process.
that was a lame comment. I thought selection was about the best person for the job and searches should be for people the police might think are criminals.
If you get pissed off getting stopped think how pissed off all the people who are victims of the crimes that lead the police to search you.
Reminds of the idiot bleeding heart liberal who complained about the fact "asian looking men" were being unfairly targetted for airport searches.
Iain pls dont let this become some muppet PC gagged platform. The very fact that a party is deliberately looking for a certain gender or race is simply insulting to those groups.
As evideneced by the Labour backbenches affirmative action appears to attract rubbish, chip on shoulder, "i speak for the community' idiots who do neither side of teh debate any good whatsoever.
Now that new Tory party member you had on 18 doughty street last week, what a smart, articulate excellent candidate.
With all this growing obsession from the 3 main parties with political correctness and "ethnic quotas", indigenous whites are becoming second-class citizens so it's hardly any wonder that more and more voters are turning to the BNP.
Deliberately or accidentally a white backlash is being provoked.
Perhaps it also goes some way to explaining the huge and growing exodus from this country of white British families. That and the ludicrous extent of the grossly inflated house price bubble.
I'd be off myself if I could afford it. Manchester is becoming a hell hole these days like so many other British towns and cities.
I agree with Bel and Anonymous 9:18. This talk of "ethnic minority" candidates is American wannabee speak, and was used as a politically correct term instead of "black candidates" because at that time, it was thought to be insulting to mention that black people were - uh - black.
The American blacks have been in the US almost as long as the whites. The so-called "ethnic minorities" in Britain are immigrants here of their own free will. There is absolutely no reason to discriminate against indigenous Britons who did, after all, create our political system and our civilisation.
On the other hand, there is no reason to discriminate against a charismatic, highly qualified, hard working black or Indian candidate. Race and colour (and sex) should have absolutely nothing to do with people choosing their representatives in Parliament. Most people are sensible enough to vote for the person they feel will work hardest for their constituency, whatever their colour.
Finally, I recall around three years ago, the Met or some other equally stupid law enforcement organisation bowed to political pressure (well! there's a surprise!) and said they were going to stop stopping and searching blacks because it was "discriminatory". There was an immediate hue and cry from ... blacks.
The editor of a black newspaper wrote a smoking editorial against the decision, pointing out that the blacks mostly victimised their own neighbourhoods and their own people. Law abiding black people want the police to protect them from the violent element - of whatever colour.
Anonymous 9:10 - Why do you capitalise ethnic minority. Since when is ethnic minority a proper noun?
Ming Should... probably just shut up full stop!
On Lib Dems website he has said "British forces in Iraq have authority of a UN security council resolution."
Presumably he now backs the war and will stop prattling on about the legality of it!
The Druid said...
"Umm. The Tories' track record with ethnic minority candidates in winnable seats? Where was that unfortunate business with Lord Taylor of Warwick again? Ah yes Cheltenham. Stones and greenhouses my dear chap."
Yes and I seem to remember the Lib Dems in Cheltenham playing the race card: "A local candidate for local people" etc etc.
Some stone.
Some Greenhouse.
Tone Made Me Do It - and? You're saying that candidate selection should not favour the majority?
Anyone else think this might be an express way to lose elections?
Obviously Ming is crap.
Honest Mancunion: please get in touch if you are either.
Verity: crap crap crap is the best I can manage. We have 16% BME in my area (lower than the rest of the NW) but in the whole NW there are no BME MPs. We should get some. Like now.
Chris Paul writes:
Verity: crap crap crap is the best I can manage.
I'm sorry to hear that.
"We have 16% BME in my area (lower than the rest of the NW) but in the whole NW there are no BME."
BME meaning what?
Could you cut out the social worker speak and talk to the segment of the public that pays taxes? These are the only people who matter.
Non-producers are non-important to the engine of state and I am under no obligation to take an interest in their circumstances. Independent people are the ones who create wealth; not Joe Stalin or Gordon Brown.
I do think a good idea would be to have a box to check for "I agree that part of the income for which I have worked for long hours, driven to the railway station on bitterly cold mornings and found a place to park, for which I have paid an extortionate fee, and then bought a ticket close to my place of employment for another extortionate fee and after exiting the station have walked the rest of my way to my place of employment, where I will work for eight to 10 hours and sometimes more, should be shared with people I don't know and who don't work."
How many mahatamas would tick that box, I wonder?
Verity said;
Non-producers are non-important to the engine of state and I am under no obligation to take an interest in their circumstances. Independent people are the ones who create wealth; not Joe Stalin or Gordon Brown.
I do think a good idea would be to have a box to check for "I agree that part of the income for which I have worked for long hours, driven to the railway station on bitterly cold mornings and found a place to park, for which I have paid an extortionate fee, and then bought a ticket close to my place of employment for another extortionate fee and after exiting the station have walked the rest of my way to my place of employment, where I will work for eight to 10 hours and sometimes more, should be shared with people I don't know and who don't work."
Well verity, having served this country in uniform for many years and now being disabled and unable to work, am I not entitled to a few crumbs from your obviously well provisioned table?
Buddy can you spare a dime?
It is much more difficult for the LDs to parachute A listers, carefully selected to achieve ethnic balance onto safe seats because they have fewer safe seats.
Now Iain if you were saying that what Britain needs is a PR based list system in which the party ensures ethnic, gender, not being lawyers etc balance......
Has Ming being putting cocoa into his Horlicks again by mistake?
Remind him to turn the light out before he takes his snooze - it will save so many nuclear power stations from having to be built.
keep digging that hole verity, keep digging !
Normal Norman, I have great respect for the armed services and think they have well-earned a share of the national wealth. A much greater share than they get under Labour, I might add. They should be well-provided for while they are active and well-provided for in retirement.
ANSWER: They don't have many winnable seats - their councillors are much more representative (atleast in my area).
"Perhaps it also goes some way to explaining the huge and growing exodus from this country of white British families. That and the ludicrous extent of the grossly inflated house price bubble."
Anybody got any idea what percentage of emigrees are what we would class as 'White, British'? I'm gonna guess it's upwards of 75%.
Political correctness is, and will, kill this country. Current media and political definitions would probably mean most of us 'white, British' would be classed as 'racist' merely for commenting on the effects of immigration and asylum on this country. That is completely unacceptable, and if the only voice we have via democracy is voting for parties such as the BNP, then I hope the liberal-left 'do-gooders' realise the BNP will only gain in strength.
I for one welcome this, not because I am a right-wing extremist, but because it might actually drive home to the main three parties (what's the difference between them, by the way?) that they are neglecting the indigenous majority....we count too!
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