Director of 'Operation Black Vote' joins the EHRC

Surprise surprise! Jesse Jackson supports operation black vote. What British politics have to do with him i don't know.

Operation black vote non partisan? Isn't that a contradiction in terms? Apologies for stating the obvious but isn't the whole idea of o.b.v a racist concept in the first place?

From the (Black) Voice

NEW COMMISSIONER at the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Simon Woolley has vowed to put race equality back on the agenda.

Woolley, who is expected to co-share special responsibility for the race portfolio, told the Voice: “We’ve got to put equality - and particularly race equality - back on the political agenda in a positive way… I want to be a driver for the politics of equality, particularly race equality.”

Woolley, director of non-partisan pressure group Operation Black Vote (OBV), said he wanted to ensure that black communities have greater faith in the EHRC.

The public body was set up to ensure greater equality in areas such as age, disability, gender, race/religion and sexual orientation.

“I want to be at the forefront of – if you like – re-building bridges to the black communities, to get them to help this body work how it should,” Woolley continued.

He said the black community does not have the luxury to give up hope with cases such as rising attempts by the British National Party (BNP) to hijack the political agenda.

“We (also) have gross inequalities of opportunity, (so) I think it’s our community’s role to redouble our efforts to put our institutions right and to give hope to our community.”

Woolley said he hopes to “widen debate” and vowed he would not get caught up in the much publicised row over the leadership of EHRC head, Trevor Phillips.

“I will not get sucked into personality politics… This body is not about Trevor Phillips or Simon Woolley, it’s really about how communities engage with it.”

Woolley added: “Clearly, there are still choppy waters ahead. But I have never shied away from a difficult challenge. If we can get this body to work, we all benefit.”

Woolley, who founded OBV 13 years ago, added: “I hope to be part of a team that will put some dynamic ideas forward. If we guide local government and national government to produce policies that give our communities a chance to excel, we will all see the benefit.”

ttp://www.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=16700