COUNCIL ELECTIONS: A GOOD DAY FOR ASIAN POLITICS
(4 May 2007)

A series of voter registration drives, public meetings and election awareness campaigns Unite Against Fascism and OBV in the run up to local council elections in the UK have fought off the BNP and the far Right. Furthermore, Scotland and Wales have made the historic step of electing their first black representatives.

The BNP put up more than 850 candidates in wards across the UK. Despite talk of major BNP successes a well organised campaign by anti racists and political campaigners saw them well and truly beaten at the ballot box definitively in Wales and Scotland, and in a majority of seats in England. Simon Woolley, Director of OBV said: "Black and white communities came out in force to defeat the racist BNP who once again were masquerading as democrats. BNP have been shown to be the pariah party in modern day politics."

Ashok Viswanathan Assistant Director of OBV said: " It is great to see that the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament elected their first Asian Members in Mohammad Asghar AM and Bashir Ahmad MSP. This is long overdue. They will be seen as ambassadors who will champion the rights and concerns of Black and white communities in Wales and Scotland.

A NEW AGE DAWNS FOR BRISTOL POLITICS

Yesterday's election marked a historic breakthrough for representative democracy in Bristol with the City gaining four BME Councillors. Home of the award winning Councillor Shadowing Scheme, Bristol city welcomed its first BME Labour and Conservative Councillors. In 2005 the council had only one BME representative now it has four, covering the city's political spectrum.

OBV's Project Manager, Francine Fernandes stated, "These elections have been very encouraging: Two new BME councillors elected, and with nearly a dozen BME candidates standing, it marks a clear recognition of the city's pool of talent, and Bristol's desire to celebrate multiculturalism." Three individuals from the shadowing scheme stood with Busharat Ali, Labour candidate for Lawrence Hill narrowly missing out by less than 100 votes.

Businesswoman Jay Jethwa, elected as the City's first BME Conservative Councillor said, "Having enjoyed living and working in the area for many years, inspired me to get involved in politics and repay the debt of kindness to this community. My main priority is to deal with on-going matters and as issues change from day to day, my work will be led by the concerns of my constituents. For anyone else considering entering public life, I would encourage them to use your skills, use your passion and go for it. Nothing is impossible."

Faruk Choudhury, newly elected Labour Councillor said, "Having been interested in politics since my childhood, I am delighted to have the opportunity to serve the community. As a relatively young Councillor, I believe that my age is an asset and I will use my energies to champion the concerns of the Easton people. Party allegiance aside, I hope that my election will serve to inspire others to get involved."

ABOUT OPERATION BLACK VOTE

Operation Black Vote began in July 1996 as a collaboration between two organisations: Charter88 (which campaigns for democratic reform) and the 1990 Trust, the only national Black generic policy research and networking organisation, which uses information technology as a primary means of communication.

Operation Black Vote (OBV) is a non-party political campaign, supported by a broad coalition of mainly Black organisations. Its main objectives are:

• to urge Black people to register to vote;
• to enable the Black community to claim its place in British democracy;
• to demonstrate a collective community potential that could significantly influence the outcome in many seats at the General Election;
• to confront politicians with the reality of what it means to be Black in Britain;
• to force them to address the inequality of opportunity faced by Black people;
• to encourage them to recognise our unique perspective and positively promote the cultural diversity of British society in the best interests of society as a whole.

The term 'Black' is a political term. It refers to African, Asian, Caribbean and other ethnic minorities.