Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[The Minsky Moment]

The way labour does it however strikes me as far more organic. Their minority MPs come from and represent seats with large minority populations; the way things are meant to be.

Hmm . . .

I mean nothing wrong with minority MPs coming from areas with large minority pops.  But "the way things are meant to be" - that might point to the problem.

[garbon]

Yeah, wtf?

[Josquius]

Wtf Wtf?

And you see the problem as being grass roots led?

[Tamas]

Wtf Wtf?

And you see the problem as being grass roots led?

Your post reads like MPs should be selected on a racial basis.

[Josquius]

Wtf Wtf?

And you see the problem as being grass roots led?

Your post reads like MPs should be selected on a racial basis.

Why shouldn't this be a factor?
If you've a seat which is half Pakistani British then a Pakistani British MP will have an advantage for relating to them-both in terms of getting elected and doing their job

[garbon]

Ah minorities can only relate to other minorities?

[Josquius]

Ah minorities can only relate to other minorities?

On the being Asian/muslim/whatever factor yes.
Or would you suggest a middle aged white guy is the right person to chat about the racism young black women face?

[Admiral Yi]

On the being Asian/muslim/whatever factor yes.

Whatever presumably includes white middle aged guys relating best to white middle aged guys?

I mock but your point is not totally invalid.  However I think it goes against the grain of aspirations for a post-racial world.

[Josquius]

On the being Asian/muslim/whatever factor yes.

Whatever presumably includes white middle aged guys relating best to white middle aged guys?

I mock but your point is not totally invalid.  However I think it goes against the grain of aspirations for a post-racial world.

On issues around being white middle aged guys they will do a better job of it than someone who has never been so yes.
But those being pretty empowered factors there won't be so many special issues to be concerned with.

Race is a thing. It would be lovely if the all lives matter protestations of pretend it doesn't exist and it goes away was true...but it isn't. It is valuable to have some representation from minority groups in Parliament, especially when they can speak for a large number of people from their group.

[Jacob]

Wtf Wtf?

And you see the problem as being grass roots led?

It implies (unintentionally I'm sure) that white people wouldn't - or worse, shouldn't - vote for people who aren't white.

[Josquius]

Wtf Wtf?

And you see the problem as being grass roots led?

It implies (unintentionally I'm sure) that white people wouldn't - or worse, shouldn't - vote for people who aren't white.

Yeah, I'm not sure where that comes from at all.

Area with a large minority population choosing a MP who represents that population = cool. Ideally MPs should relate to the community they represent.

Parachuting in a minority MP to a 99% white safe seat so you can easily tick the minority representation box without actually giving any minorities representation = happens a few times and you can ignore it and think they're simply the best candidate without considering race (not that they have anything else to do with that seat...). When a pattern emerges... That looks pretty cynical.

[Jacob]

Yeah, I'm not sure where that comes from at all.

"Minority MPs come from constituencies with high minority populations, and that's how it should be."

When you make a statement that something is as "it should be", it typically applies that things outside the statement is less desirable.

Two cases that are equally outside your statement are 1: "non-minority MPs representing high minority constituencies" and 2: "minority  MPs representing constituencies with low minority populations."

That's all.

[Josquius]

Yeah, I'm not sure where that comes from at all.

"Minority MPs come from constituencies with high minority populations, and that's how it should be."

When you make a statement that something is as "it should be", it typically applies that things outside the statement is less desirable.

Two cases that are equally outside your statement are 1: "non-minority MPs representing high minority constituencies" and 2: "minority  MPs representing constituencies with low minority populations."

That's all.

They might represent the constituency in other ways.
In Newcastle for instance, a super white city, probably our most well known MP is a mixed race woman.
... But she's born and raised locally and is a pretty good representative. Her race is irrelevant.
 She ticks the representation box in other ways than the irrelevant to 99% of people who might consider voting Labour "being white" .

Similarly, I can't think of an example off my head, but if there's a working class local representing a poor area with a large minority pop, then they probably lose a few points with the minority population of that constituency, but can still do a good job of representing them anyway as the mere fact of being brown is only one aspect of the shit they worry about.

[garbon]

Ah minorities can only relate to other minorities?

On the being Asian/muslim/whatever factor yes.
Or would you suggest a middle aged white guy is the right person to chat about the racism young black women face?

Cool, I love being othered.

[garbon]

On the being Asian/muslim/whatever factor yes.

Whatever presumably includes white middle aged guys relating best to white middle aged guys?

I mock but your point is not totally invalid.  However I think it goes against the grain of aspirations for a post-racial world.

I think the 'should' is the fatal flaw.