The current number of BAME MPs is “a disgrace”, says Khan

Sadiq Khan, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice and Shadow London Minister, has spoken out about racism he has experienced and condemned the lack of diversity in Parliament.

In an interview with BuzzFeed, Khan said: “I think the current composition of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) MPs in parliament is a disgrace. It’s also a disgrace the lack of women in this place and the lack of working-class MPs.” Out of 650 in total there are currently 26 BAME MPs, 148 female MPs and 25 MPs who used to be manual workers.

Khan criticised the last Labour government for their approach to minority ethnic voters, explaining:

“Some politicians took BAME voters for granted. They assumed that because they’d always voted Labour, they’ll carry on voting Labour. There was an assumption that habit would dictate people always voting Labour. Just because your dad voted Labour, why should you vote Labour? Young people will do what they want to do. We’ve gotta earn everyone’s vote individually.”

Khan also echoed the experiences of Diane Abbott MP – who has in the past spoken about how the three minority ethnic MPs she entered into parliament with in 1987, Keith Vaz, Paul Boateng and Bernie Grant were constantly confused with one another –  saying that when he entered Parliament in 2005 he was aware of the few number of minority ethnic MPs

“I was mistaken for Shahid Malik, Keith Vaz – Keith Vaz, by the way, has no hair – or other MPs. The only people in here who looked like me and you [in reference to BuzFeed interviewer, Siraj Datoo] were those who worked in the cafeteria or cleaned up. So it was all a bit different for me.”

“Parliament is no different to other major institutions. There is discrimination, there is racism – but don’t let that put you off. We can defeat it. The solidarity there from non-Asians, non-blacks is fantastic. For every hate email, or hate-tweet, or hate phone call I get, there are so many more positive things that happen…

“I think that you can do so much good here, whatever the problems are, they’re insignificant when compared to the benefits you can do.”

However, despite speaking out about this, Khan who could be the next Justice Secretary or Labour’s candidate for London Mayor (he’s yet to announce whether he’ll run or not) explained that he is determined to “be a mainstream politician”: “I’m determined not to allow myself to be pigeonholed as the Asian MP or the Muslim MP. I’m Labour, I’m a husband, I’m a father, I’m Muslim, I’m British, I’m Asian, I’m all those things.”