WHICH LADY WOULD IN LADYWOOD?

14-11-2007

Congratulations to David Bell for his excellent scoop in tonight's Birmingham Mail, revealing Ladywood Labour party's desire to have a black or Asian candidate to replace Clare Short as MP. What Bell doesn't explain is why Khalid Mahmood is the most prominent voice against the plan.

Mahmood, the MP for Perry Barr, has questioned the legality of the local party executive's stated preference for a non-white contender, suggesting that it might break race discrimination laws.

Labour has already decided to impose an all-woman shortlist, which is specifically exempt under sex discrimination legislation, but can't legally insist that the winner is a member of the BME community.

This means that for all the hullaballoo, there's no way of screening out white women and preventing one of them eventually winning through - and experienced campaigner Penny Barber, for one, is virtually certain to make the shortlist.

But why has Mahmood, of all people, decided to dish the dirt on his own party. Well, clearly, he has a high-minded belief that the best person for the job should be selected regardless of race.

He also, interestingly, has had a close personal relationship with the chair of the Ladywood ward party, the gorgeous pouting Elaina Cohen, who has previously attempted to secure the party's nomination in Yardley.

She might just fancy a stab at succeeding Ms Short, if she can win enough support, and her friend Khalid might just be laying the ground.

Cohen's parliamentary aspirations have not always been restricted to the Labour Party; she stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives in 2001 in Rochdale.

Should a racially diverse constituency like Ladywood have a black or Asian candidiate? Or is that Positive discrimination of the worst kind?

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