Candidate condemns Conservatives for “playing the race card” over nominees from the community
Sadiq Khan (third from left) was at the Enfield Labour manifesto launch
Labour fiercely rejected suggestions it was losing touch with Turkish and Kurdish residents as it launched its election pledges for Enfield.
Sadiq Khan, shadow minister for London, told the meeting at his party’s Enfield North quarters that Labour was the natural home of Britain’s ethnic minorities.
He said his party’s record over the past 40 years showed that “being BME” [Black and Minority Ethnicity] was in Labour’s DNA.
But Londra Gazete revealed this month there might be cracks in this perception as Turkish and Kurdish-speaking candidates stand for Labour’s rivals in greater numbers at this election than before.
In Enfield, the Conservatives are fielding more council candidates from the communities than any other party.
Haydar Ulus, a Labour candidate in Haselbury, said this was a despicable example of Conservatives “playing the race card”.
“Labour has always been in coalition with the community,” he told Thursday’s meeting.
“There are some Conservative candidates who don’t have a clue why they’re standing [in their nominated wards].”
ENVIRONMENT AND HOUSING PRIORITIES
Labour took control of Enfield Council at the last election in May 2010. Thursday’s meeting saw the party present its policies for the next four years.
Doug Taylor, the Labour leader in Enfield, said: “The defining choice is between a Labour council which acts and a Tory council that would fail to act.”
He said they would focus on the environment by balancing increasing numbers of cars in the borough with the need to control air pollution. Labour would also increase recycling and introduce wheelie bins across Enfield, he said.
Mr Taylor pointed to the recent spitting ban as an example of how his party have tackled anti-social behaviour and said they would deliver new homes in the borough through the Merdian Water project.
CONFIDENT OF VICTORY
Mr Khan said they expected voter turnout to be much lower this year than in 2010 because a general election will not be held on the same day this time.
He said it was going to be “a challenge” just to retain existing seats in Enfield, but nevertheless spoke optimistically of his party’s chances.