Labour opens way to all-black shortlists

Labour moved a step closer today to introducing all-black shortlists in areas with high ethnic minority populations.

Party chairman Ian McCartney announced a consultation exercise on using closed lists to boost the number of black and Asian MPs.

"We are ambitious to do more to improve black and Asian representation," he said. "We haven't ruled out all-black shortlists and welcome a debate in the party about this."

His comments came as Labour faced mounting criticism for failing to select more candidates from ethnic minorities. Hackney MP Diane Abbott today joined those demanding all-black shortlists.

Writing in the Evening Standard, she says such a selection system is the only "proven remedy" for the under-representation of ethnic minorities in politics, and that allwomen shortlists have increased dramatically the number of women MPs. "There are more than 100 women MPs in Parliament. But the number of black and Asian MPs remains pitifully small.

"Black and Asian people are eight per cent of the population. So by rights we should 53 MPs. In fact we have a mere 13," she writes.

Commission for Racial Equality chairman Trevor Phillips has said too many white women are clinching safe seats in areas with high minority populations. He cited West Ham, where the Labour MP is standing down at the next election.

Labour has opted for an all-women shortlist, although the constituency has one of the highest ethnic minority populations in the country. And former London Assembly member Meg Hillier was selected to fight Hackney South and Shoreditch, a seat with one of the highest ethnic populations in Britain.

Mr McCartney said Labour would set up forums to consult ethnic communities about increasing the representation of Asian and black politicians. He added: "Labour has an overwhelmingly better record on black representation when compared to the other political parties."

Labour has three Asian candidates fighting safe seats at the next general election - Yasmin Quereshi in Brent East, Sadiq Khan in Tooting and Shahid Malik in Dewsbury. But Operation Black Vote campaigns manager, Ashok Viswanathan, said all parties need to show more commitment to selecting black and Asian candidates.