Clause 99
Equality Bill
9:15 am
Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington, Labour)
I have my eye on the time, Mr. Benton, so I shall be brief.
To understand the rise of President Obama, we have to remember that he came from the politics of Chicago, which had been shaped by black mobilisation since before the second world war, by the huge influx of slaves that came to work in the northern cities and by positive action. That allowed Chicago to select black Congressmen before the second world war; and Chicago became only the second US state to have a black Senator. Obama was undoubtedly able to rise on merit, but he was able to do so as a result of positive action and black mobilisation that went back 50 years. That is all that we ask for today: give us the foundations on which our merit can be seen.
The question is important because of the changing nature of the demographics of the country and our big cities, the legitimacy of our politics and the pathetic progress made not only for women but for black and ethnic minority people. The black and ethnic minority community is looking for progress. People campaigning in the inner cities will know that some of the most conscientious and engaged voters are black or minority ethnic people. They are looking for progress. The Bill and the clause do not address that question, and I plan to return to the subject on Report.