THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BLACK VOTE
A DISCUSSION @ DALSTON CLR JAMES LIBRARY APRIL TUESDAY 12 2013
On April 12 2013, over 80 Hackney citizens mainly of African heritage, turned up at the Dalston CLR
James Library and took part in a lively discussion about the impact, importance, patterns and relevance
of votes cast by Hackney people of African heritage in over the last 40 years.
This was the second annual lecture organized by the CLR James Heritage Partnership, established
following the successful campaign in 2011 by the Black and Ethnic Minority Arts Network (BEMA),
Hackney Unites, and their partners in the community, to ensure that the name of CLR James was
retained when the library was rebuilt as part of the multi million pound Dalston Square Development.
The event was hosted by BEMA supported by Hackney Unites, Operation Black Vote (OBV), the London
Borough of Hackney Library Services, and Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (Hackney CVS).
The panel was; Diane Abbott (Labour Party Member of Parliament for Stoke Newington & Hackney
North), Jules Pipe (Labour Party Mayor of Hackney), Pauline Pearce (Vice Chair of Hackney Lib Dems),
Charlotte George (Hackney Green Party) and key note speaker Simon Wooley (Operation Black Vote).
The Hackney Conservative party was invited to participate but did not respond to the invitation.
An officer from Hackney Electoral Services Unit was on hand to assist those wishing to register to vote in
Central or Local Government elections.
The discussion was chaired by community and arts activist and artist Ngoma ‘Silver’ Bishop, volunteer
Chief Officer of BEMA.
Summary
Like most of the community and voluntary sector(s), several of BEMA’s Hackney based member groups
were as a consequence of the UK Government’s current austerity measures, suffering because of the
increasingly scarce resources available to boroughs such as South-East London Hackney. However
there is general agreement that some communities continue to lose out more than others. At the same
time it seems that the major parties are developing strategies on how to attract members and votes from
perhaps the borough’s most diverse electorate ever. Meanwhile, the younger generations in particular
are ever more reluctant to exercise their democratic options and many African heritage people of all
ages are increasingly beginning to wonder why they should even bother voting. The main issue
addressed by the panel and the meeting, was the degree to which this community has achieved
proportionate representation in terms of elected Councillors and the extent to which the borough’s
cultural diversity has been reflected in the formulation and implementation of its policies.
Although generally good natured, the debate was a lively one. Those in attendance whilst in many
instances remaining sceptical about the will or capacity of politicians generally to deliver on their
promises, were mainly of the view that citizens should exercise their democratic right to vote if they were
to have any influence at all on social policy. The point was reinforced by OBV Director Simon Wooley
and backed up by all the panellists. Some of the key points to come out of the discussion were:

politicians should listen to the electorate all the time, not just when there are elections pending

parties should write their manifestoes in a language that could be understood by the public

politicians should stick to their commitments and promises

More needs to be done by families and politicians to engage young people in the political process