POL - Blair accused of 'favoring Asians' because they have more money to donate to Labor (leaf from Clinton's book?)

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BBC Saturday, 21 April, 2001, 21:39 GMT 22:39 UK

Blair accused of 'favouring Asians'

Sir Herman spoke of a perceived ethnic 'pecking order'

Prime Minster Tony Blair favours British Asians over African-Caribbeans because they have more money to offer Labour, the former head of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) has claimed.

Sir Herman Ouseley talks of widespread resentment at a perceived ethnic "pecking order" for access to government in the UK.

Speaking to The Mail on Sunday newspaper, Sir Herman was also drawn into the row over racist attitudes in the Conservative Party.

He criticised Foreign Secretary Robin Cook for sparking the row and labelled some of his recent comments "absurd and insulting".

He avoided criticising Conservative MPs who have refused to sign the CRE's pledge not to play the race card during the election.

Sir Herman, who served as CRE chief between 1992 and 1999, told the newspaper: "There is a feeling, and not just among leading African-Caribbeans, that there is a marginalisation and that there's a pecking order, almost a hierarchy of ethnicities

Economic muscle

"The African-Caribbean community is relatively less influential because it hasn't got the same power base, the same economic muscle, and the same offerings to contribute to the parties.

"There is a resentment there. The politics of today seem to be chasing those with most resources."

Black broadcaster and Labour member of the Greater London Assembly Trevor Phillips, a close friend and colleague of Sir Herman's, said he did not believe the former CRE chair had intended to imply any favouritism towards Asians on the part of the political parties.

Instead he believed Sir Herman was talking about the African-Caribbean matching the level of organisation and business success seen in the Asian and Jewish communities.

"This is nothing to do with some conspiracy or bias on behalf of Number 10 or the Conservative Party leadership.

"This is about how we can get ourselves into a state where we can match other ethnic groups for influence."

Equal treatment

A Labour Party spokesman said: "We treat everyone the same. It is completely wrong to say we favour Asians over African-Caribbeans.

"All groups are given equal treatment by this government."

But Sir Herman's harsh words were not just reserved for the issue of political influence.

He attacked Robin Cook for "raising the temperature" on race with his speech on Thursday.

Simmering row

In it the foreign secretary attacked William Hague's attitude towards racism in the Tory party and said there was no such as a pure British race - sparking a simmering row.

Sir Herman labelled Mr Cook's use of chicken tikka massala to illustrate his portrayal of British multi-culturalism "absurd and insulting".

But Sir Herman played down the significance of Tory MPs not signing the CRE's compact designed to keep racism out of the general election.

He said: "Odd individuals not signing the compact is not a big issue".

-- Anonymous, April 21, 2001


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