Thursday, March 17, 2005
Falling from the frontbench
Darcus Howe has a dark warning for Black and Asian MPs. In Darcus Howe explains Boateng's punishment (New Statesman) Howe paints a bleak picture. Articles about Boateng's new job have been popping up in Vaz searches over the past few days as many of them invariably mention other BME politicians. Boateng will quit for top job in Pretoria from the Guardian is one such article, which also looks at the failing crop of old(er) time Black and Asian politicians not making it to the frontbench. At least Diane Abbott has an excuse...
His departure creates a post-election problem for Mr Blair. Of the four black or Asian Labour MPs first elected in 1987, Bernie Grant is dead, Mr Boateng is leaving, Keith Vaz's ministerial career crashed and Diane Abbott remains an unabashed leftwing rebel. "I'm suddenly feeling lonely," she said yesterday.
