Black Sections draft programme

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This document is a draft programme from the Black Sections campaign within the Labour Party, outlining proposals to increase political representation and participation of Black and Asian members at local party levels. It highlights the need for positive action to address underrepresentation despite strong electoral support from ethnic minority communities. The programme advocates establishing dedicated Black Sections as a platform for members to propose strategies combating racism and fostering equality within the party.

Key points:
– A 1983 report noted nearly 80% of Black and ethnic minority voters supported Labour, helping secure key seats.
– Despite this, Black people remained the least politically represented group in the Labour Party and nationally.
– The document calls for positive action to increase Black members' involvement at all levels of the party.
– It supports forming Black Sections in constituencies where members request them to strengthen anti-racist work and political confidence.
– The National Executive Committee was instructed to propose rule amendments in 1985 to formally recognize Black Sections and their delegates.

This draft reflects the early Black Sections movement, closely linked to figures like Bernie Grant and Diane Abbott, who sought greater political inclusion for Black British communities within the Labour Party during the 1980s. The campaign addressed systemic racism and underrepresentation, contributing to broader struggles for racial equality, local government representation, and anti-racist activism in British politics.

Source note: The OCR transcript contains some textual ambiguities and fragmented words, but the key themes and proposals of the programme are clear and faithfully represented.