Tottenham Conservatives blast Tottenham Labour MP on race remarks 28/10/05

Tottenham Conservatives have blasted local MP and Arts Minister David Lammy for stirring up racial tensions. Lammy this week attacked Britain's national arts organisations for being "too white".  But Tottenham Conservatives say that not only is the MP wrong, but that he is also harming good race-relations.

Justin Hinchcliffe, Chairman of Tottenham Conservatives, said:

"David Lammy sees racism when it isn't there.  Is Lammy seriously suggesting that museums, theatres and other arts organisations should appoint people on the basis of their colour rather than for their experience and skills?

He should also remember that Britain remains overhelmingly white: less than 5% of the British population comes from an Afro-Caribbean background, therefore one black person on a board of 20 people is statistically more than fair for a national organisation.

Given this fact, it is dangerous and alarmist for Lammy to encourage people to define an institution as racist simply because its membership does not match the ethnic profile of their own little corner of Britain. If people were to do that, then every black person living in Tottenham would see the BBC, ITV and every national body as racist because the proportion of blacks shown does not reflect the ethnic mix in their own street. "He should also remember that, in many parts of Britain, someone could go about their business and not see a single black person all day! For this reason, many people in such areas feel that the BBC and other national bodies are guilty of anti-white racism, because they appear to over-represent black people!

"This obsession with race quotas damages communities. The only answer is for all institutions to be 'colour-blind' and appoint and promote people purely on the basis of merit. "Lammy should instead be encouraging his constituents, regardless of race, to become more interested and active in the Arts. That way, in years to come, more people from ethnic minorities or working class backgrounds, more people from places like Tottenham, will be able to sit on the Arts council or on the boards of theatres and museums - and they'll have got there because they have earned it."

ENDS.