London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Being an MP doesn’t protect me from racism in the workplace

Being an MP doesn’t protect me from racism in the workplace

In my experience, minority ethnic MPs don’t feel equal to other members. This rotten culture comes from the very top
Astudy carried out by the broadcaster ITV has shown that almost two-thirds of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) MPs have experienced some form of racism while working in parliament. Not a single figure or piece of testimony from the survey shocked me – even though I am a brand new MP. Being an MP does not make us special. In reality, I am just another black person at work. I face racism and so do my colleag.

There is a culture in parliament and the media that is largely unchanged by the fact of increased diversity. The tone and leadership regarding what is acceptable comes from the very top. And the top is rotten. Politicians and commentators pander to anti-immigrant rhetoric, with no regard for the fact that immigration in this country is synonymous with race. BAME MPs who challenge racism will hear in response, often on social media, that they are “race baiters”, are ignoring people’s “real concerns” and will be told “go back to where [they] came from”, and worse.

Two months into being an MP I have already experienced this personally, but as a staff member for Diane Abbott I watched it go on for years. It’s common for black members and staffers to be asked to produce their passes and be questioned on the parliamentary estate. I know one new member, a black woman, who had an MP hand her his bag and ask her to hold it for him. When working as Diane’s staffer, even in my early 30s I was asked if I was her niece or daughter, including by other MPs.

And when a racist incident makes the news, the pattern is predictable: the establishment feigns shock about how awfully black people are treated, a few BAME MPs are pulled on the TV to talk about it. Wash, rinse, repeat. The prime minister’s spokesman’s refusal this week to condemn the views of a No 10 adviser who was found to have claimed that intelligence is linked to race shows just how deep these problems run.

Boris Johnson’s own opinions are well known: take his appalling words comparing women wearing burkas to letterboxes or describing black people as “piccaninnies” with “watermelon” smiles. There should be no surprise when the rest of parliament and even the public treat BAME MPs this way.

As a result of the sexual abuse and bullying inquiry, all MPs are required to take “valuing everyone training”. MPs need similar training on racism and diversity. It is clear that some cannot grasp the issue for themselves.

I am an anti-racist. I understand and accept that as long as discrimination exists in society and I am a minority in parliament I must challenge it. I am happy to do that. But that is an additional role not required of others: those who accept the rise in racism and discrimination.

In my maiden speech, when I spoke about the litany of injustices BAME people have faced in this country, I asked: “How can I be equal to every other member in the House of Commons when this is how it treats people who look like me?” The answer is simple, I am not. And as my colleagues have demonstrated in the responses to the survey, there is still a very long way to go before we are.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×