Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

I’ve been an ethnic minority politician, & here’s why I know non-white shortlists for MPs will simply make racial divisions worse

I’ve been an ethnic minority politician, & here’s why I know non-white shortlists for MPs will simply make racial divisions worse

A Lib Dem parliamentarian's bill to legalise race-based candidate lists is undemocratic, patronising & will undo the decades of progress Britain has made.

I was so irked by an elected public servant’s recent declaration, that paraphrasing a great man’s quotation was the only response I felt could touch my exasperation.

My comments will not attract much attention in the crowded Twitterverse, but I felt that if there was even half a chance that a few might notice, then I should use the opportunity to do so.

In 1954, while trying to explain what it was to be a parliamentarian, Winston Churchill defined it as, “The first duty of a Member of Parliament is to do what he or she thinks in his or her faithful and disinterested judgement is right and necessary for the honour and safety of Great Britain. Their second duty is to their constituents, of whom they are the representative but not the delegate.”

Instead of understanding the primal importance for representative democracy exemplified by those words, on October 14, an elected Member, the Lib Dem Wera Hobhouse, proudly affirmed that she would present a bill that went against that very goal. She wants to make it legal to select politicians based solely on the colour of their skin. Ludicrously, she claims that the bill is necessary to beat racial injustice.


Her attempt to allow non-white only shortlists will do the exact opposite. Bringing forward a bill which makes it legal to discriminate against candidates just because they are white is undemocratic and downright patronising. It implies that non-whites are incapable of being selected on merit unless Caucasians are sidelined. It is ‘one insignificant step for national unity, one giant leap for racial division and disharmony’. Any candidate selected on this basis will be open to justified ridicule.

It is extraordinary that in our democratic country, in the mother of parliaments, a place less happy parts of the world can only eye enviously, we have elected politicians seeking to legalise racial discrimination.

Quotas do not work. Short lists that favour colour over merit do not work. Parliamentarians who push these divisive agendas should not work for us. Far from eradicating or helping racial injustice, this bill would only serve to stoke the flames of resentment. Our country should, and must, demand that only the best are sent to Westminster. We want candidates to prove to the electorate that they deserve their place and have been chosen on merit, not on a nod and a wink. The message must be that discrimination is always wrong, whatever the skin colour.

I fear that some politicians are taking our country on a destructive path in their crusade to right historical wrongs. In trying to put their new world order into practice, they risk tearing the very fabric of our peaceful and cohesive society. They are saying to our citizens that they are not to be trusted when it comes to fairness and justice for all. Diversity, equality and anti-racism does not mean we divide people of different races, beliefs, backgrounds, religions and ancestry into two groups, i.e. white and non-white.

I write as a person of colour, an immigrant, a democrat and a believer in fair play. I am a staunch and loyal citizen of this great country. One who believes that the majority wants to see us move forward together. But how can we when we have politicians telling us that we cannot be relied on to look out for, and after, each other? It is bad enough that some, through all-women shortlists believe that we should be politically divided by sex. Now they claim only non-whites can better represent non-whites. What message does that send to our friends, peers, children and visitors to our shores?

When I stood for election in 2019 for the European Parliament, I naively believed that I had faced optimal vitriol and abuse. Nothing would ever match the overflowing vat of bilious hate my colleagues and I faced. I had not appreciated however, that in pushing back against our country’s navel-gazing, knee-bending, finger-pointing, supine acceptance that white people are privileged racists and black/brown/mixed/Asian/none of the above-skinned people are victims in dire need of saving, I have leapt into a den of hate and scorn.

I do not parade the following messages to elicit sympathy. I just want to expose the fact that, as a woman of colour who rejects victimhood labels, I receive pretty vile abuse from both the white and non-white contingent of the virtue brigade. In the last few days alone, some of these have included:

* You’ve sold your soul because you’re so desperate to be accepted by the Right yet no matter what you say your skin colour will always be the major factor.

* So desperate to be liked by the flag waving mob that she’ll happily throw her self-respect and morals out the window.

* Christina is just a hypocrite and a sell out to get the flag waving bigots on her side.

* How can such a dark face have such a white name?

* This “christina” seems to be of Asian descent and claims to be an immigrant, not sure how she ended up with an English name

* Pulling up the ladder after her to prevent immigrants from entering the country.

* Impressing her bully boy, flag shagging fash mates.

* Off you pop good immigrant, probably have some bootlicking that’s overdue to show how grateful you are to be here.

These, and other comments, only make me more determined to stand up for our country against the monotonous, wearisome and never-ending bashing she undeservedly receives. Creating division is not the answer. Most of us live outside the political, institutional and media bubble and we get along just fine, thank you.


Christina Jordan is a Malaysian-born British politician. She served as a Brexit Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South West England from 2019 to 2020.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
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
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
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
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×