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We had been with Barack Obama since he took on Hillary Clinton, then John McCain. His victory stirred us like nothing before. But the Obama triumph has churned up other, more complicated feelings among black Britons and Asians.

I wore an Obama T-shirt in my gym. Two muscular black men, nice guys I had seen there previously, said I, an Asian, was stealing the glory of one of theirs. The same claims were asserted when, at a Fabian conference on Saturday, I opined that Obama was multiracial, biologically and culturally. A number of Afro-Caribbeans and Africans want to stamp their ownership on the President.

I can understand why, but they are wrong. Inevitably his election throws light on race and opportunity in Britain. Will we have an Obama in Britain soon? Is racism worse or better here? We saw how opinion is divided on that in the reactions to this week's upbeat speech by Equality and Human Rights Commission chair, Trevor Phillips.

He is right to celebrate the rise of biracial Britons and hail progress compared to the rest of the EU. However, his conclusion that racism is waning is misjudged. The BNP has never been more popular; black and Muslim males, asylum seekers and new migrants face exclusion and abuse, while the white peaks of our institutions remain unchanged.

Obama's victory gives us hope, yes, but envy is not far behind. I sense ambiguities among Muslims too. Though overjoyed as Washington's neo-cons slink off to their uncertain futures, they fear Obama can't deliver what they so want. The deliberated reassurance in his speech will help but it can't stop the swelling anxiety, much grown since the Israeli operation in Gaza.

When I was on the Tube on Tuesday, a black schoolgirl said it was her birthday to a group of fellow pupils. All colours and creeds, they sang "Happy Obama Day to You" and collapsed with laughter. Maybe it is too soon to dwell on the more complicated responses I've described. Let Britons rejoice a little longer, savour the blessed moment. Cold reality will blow in soon enough.