Скачать или смотреть UK: OBV CAMPAIGN FOR STRONGER BLACK VOICE IN POLITICS

(14 Apr 1997) English/Nat

As Britain's leading political parties squabble over who is the party of the middle classes, the party for business and the party for law and order or health, one group claims it is being neglected.

The black community says it is largely ignored by parties and is still not represented in government.

Many black voters who normally stay away from the polls with the feeling that their issues are not represented are now being encouraged to make their voices heard in time for the May 1 election.

Operation Black Vote, or O-B-V, is urging Britain's ethnic groups to use their vote to make a difference.

The group was formed by the British democratic reform group Charter 88.

O-B-V is campaigning for a stronger black voice in politics and calling for all ethnic groups to use their vote in the forthcoming election.

Here in the shadow of the mother of all parliaments - the House of Commons, O-B-V is shooting an advert to be shown at cinemas during the run up to the election which urges young blacks to vote.

UPSOUND:
"And Action!"

In a recent survey by the group, they found that around nine out of ten young blacks in Britain say they will not vote in the election - and one in four of the black community is not registered to vote.

Campaigners say there is a widespread feeling among Britain's black population that there is no point in voting.

However figures show this is not the case.

UPSOUND: (Simon Woolley directing the actors)
"And unless they listen to black people they can get out. And we know we have the muscle to do it. So that's the message here. We want no special favours - all we want is a fair and just democracy and we are here to tell them."

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"One of the reasons why many people haven't participated in the past is because they have thought their vote is worthless. What Operation Black Vote has done is demonstrated that in over fifty marginal seats, in effect, we could decide who wins those seats. Now bearing in mind that the last election was won by 21 seats. You can see the enormous potential the black community has in the next election."
SUPER CAPTION: Simon Woolley, Operation Black Vote

Ethnic minorities account for only 5.7 per cent of the British population, which makes just three per cent of the electorate.

However, the concentration of black voters in urban areas means the outcome of fifty seats nationwide would be affected if blacks voted in the same proportion as whites.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"What we've said to our community is that by doing nothing we achieve nothing. We've got to be in the system to affect it. We have shown that we can bring politicians to the table and together we can make the difference."
SUPERCAPTION: Simon Woolley, Operation Black Vote.

Brixton in south London is one of the many areas which Operation Black Vote is targeting.

The size of the white population - a majority elsewhere in the country - here is dwarfed by the size of the local black population.

The town is regarded as one of Britain's inner city areas with the one of the longest standing West Indian communities.

Few feel the area has improved under the Conservative government.

SOUNDBITE:(English)
"Especially the Tories, they ignore the black minority. Because what happens is in this area in Brixton there's not a lot of investment."
SUPER CAPTION: Nosiru Gbajabiamila, Vox Pop

SOUNDBITE:(English)
SUPER CAPTION: Linette Richardson, Vox Pop

But have the main parties done enough to secure the votes of the minorities in Britain?


SOUNDBITE:(English)


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