Equality will not be achieved by more black and brown MPs

On 4 July 2024, the UK elected the most diverse Labour Party government, ending 14 years of Conservative power. Over 40% of MPs are women, and 14% are from ethnic minority backgrounds. While this represents significant progress, we cannot assume that simply having more diverse representatives will transform the deep-rooted misogyny, sexism and racism that are baked into our social structures.

The Misconception About Representation

Ruha Benjamin, professor of African-American studies at Princeton University, said:

Black faces in high positions will not save us.

Historically, there has been an assumption that MPs or other senior postal officials from black, brown or dual backgrounds would stand up for underrepresented groups. Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel and Suella Braverman are all part of the African/Indian diaspora. However, these same ethnic minority MPs have been responsible for policies such as the Illegal Migration Act 2023 and the Rwanda deportation programme that have created a cycle of fear for vulnerable people and damaged progress towards racial equality.

Similarly, the heavily criticized 2021 Sewell Report, led by a black man, downplayed the impact of institutional racism and intersectionality on people’s lives. The report’s authors also wrongly correlated “the greater presence of ethnic minorities in the current government” with equality.

But as Dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson said:

Are these privileges representative of our liberation? Or are they false idols designed to silence our voice?

While the door is opening wider for greater representation, the impact has been less than desirable. Since 2021, the inclusion of ethnic minorities in top government positions has not led to better outcomes for black and brown communities.

For example, Suella Braverman’s inflammatory and divisive rhetoric linking British Pakistani men to grooming gangs, and Rishi Sunak’s viral video promising to defund Labour’s urban areas. It’s clear that progressive social change towards an anti-racist Britain cannot be achieved by simply ‘melting the snow’ for more ethnic minorities.

The archetype of the ‘model minority’

Some argue that these MPs have adopted a ‘model minority archetype’, a concept whereby individuals construct socially acceptable versions of themselves in order to gain acceptance and fit in. They attribute their success to typically British values ​​of hard work and entrepreneurship.

They act as gatekeepers of post-racial thought and implement policies that reinforce racial inequality.

For example, the Illegal Migration Act and the Rwanda policy echo colonial regimes of forced removal, resettlement and displacement. These and other policies have created a harsher environment for black and brown people living in Britain.

However, these harsh conditions cannot be attributed to individual policymakers; they are indicative of broader systemic racism perpetuated by institutions.

Recognizing structural racism

The ‘bad apples’ argument within the police suggests that just a few officers are a problem, rather than addressing systemic problems.

The 1999 Macpherson Inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence branded London’s Metropolitan Police as ‘institutionally racist’. More recently, Baroness Casey’s 2023 report confirmed the persistence of institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police.

These reports, spaced 24 years apart, emphasize the need for a systemic rather than individualistic approach to solving deep-rooted problems.

The “bad apples” theory ignores the long, racist history of institutions like the criminal justice system, education, and politics. A 2023 UN report highlighted the intrinsic link between colonialism and contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and intolerance faced by Africans, people of African descent, people of Asian descent, and indigenous peoples. As a result, despite adjustments over time, these colonial institutions continue to disproportionately impact the life outcomes of Black and Brown people.

Recognizing Persistent Racism

At Action for Race Equality, we recognise the persistent and pervasive nature of institutional racism. Our CEO Jeremy Crook defines institutional racism as the continued existence of significant racial inequalities for black and brown people, despite policies or commitments to fairness and equality. That’s why we advocate for policy solutions that are firmly rooted in evidence and anti-racist.

Crook says:

In my view, institutional racism describes a situation where an organization, despite EDI policies, noble values, and leaders committed to fairness and racial justice, still has significant systematic racial disparities in recruitment, development, retention, and satisfaction of its workforce.

While it is important to have MPs from underrepresented groups in powerful positions, it is crucial to realise that racist ideas still exist in institutions created during colonialism.

As Kehinde Andrews so aptly puts it:

a system that was never built for us, despite being built by us, will never work for us.

Incoming members of parliament, despite their intentions, are becoming part of this problematic system. Real change, social justice, and racial equity require a comprehensive, systemic approach to dismantling entrenched structures of inequality.

This article is by Bowale Fadare, originally written for Action for Race Equality, and republished with permission

Featured image provided