Black Brits who are largely apolitical in a party sense are conflated with “cranks” and “Marxists”, basically anything seen to align with Corbyn (therefore bad for the party), for having the temerity to protest over deportations or racist policing etc. It’s really telling for me.

It says a lot about how Black people are 1. Seen as political fodder in Britain and 2. Seen largely as a homogenous entity that’s an extension or representation of Labour. Instead of citizens who’s votes need to be earned. It parallels with the Democrats in America.

It’s why the Labour anti-Semitism discourse has been truly damaging for anti-racist solidarity across the board, because you had Black people who don’t even rep Labour like that getting called Corbynites/cranks/bigots etc for asking why anti-Blackness wasn’t also a priority.

Ppl are able to have concerns and not be joined at the hip to a party. For me it’s really telling that Black concerns are seen as synonymous with Corbyn, because for the first time ever a leader of a political party placed us high on the agenda - and not for “law & order” reasons

But Black political struggle has never and never will be defined by Corbyn or even Labour. [New] Labour’s recent legacy is one that we had to organise against. We were placed on the agenda then, but only for dogwhistle reasons to attract voters that see criminality in Blackness.