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'Our Obama moment will be electing a black Mayor'
Ross Lydall and Louise Jury02.11.09
Britain will experience the "Obama effect" in full when a black man or woman becomes Mayor of London, according to one of the country's leading playwrights.
Kwame Kwei-Armah believes the election of a black Mayor would be a "true symbol of progress" - as about 45 per cent of Londoners will be from an ethnic community by polling day in 2012.
"Boris Johnson has shown us that one can simply walk off the street with no previous experience in this scale of management and take the reins of arguably the second most powerful office in the country," he said. "If he could do that, why couldn't we?"
But Mr Kwei-Armah, whose new play, Seize The Day, opens tonight at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn, believes the scandals that have destroyed the careers of mayoral aides Lee Jasper and Ray Lewis act as a warning to the black middle classes not to come forward.
Mr Jasper, an aide to former mayor Ken Livingstone, was accused of channelling regeneration cash to groups with which he was linked, while Mr Lewis quit shortly after being appointed one of Mr Johnson's deputies after alleged financial irregularities and inappropriate behaviour - charges which were never followed through - came to light.
Mr Kwei-Armah, who rose to prominence as an actor in Casualty and whose play Elmina's Kitchen transferred to the West End, said he followed the 2008 mayoral elections "with a degree of amusement, disbelief and, dare I say, fear".
He said both the Jasper and Lewis scandals appeared to confirm that City Hall or other high political office was a "poisoned chalice for people of colour" and black men in particular. He said: "I would hear rumours of various high profiled posts being refused by very able black candidates simply because these black men feared being a target - that the press would discover someone in their family had had some trouble with the law back in the day and they would be dragged through the mud and humiliated."
His new play centres on the plans of a young black professional to run for Mayor and the dilemma this sparks within the black community about the "type" of black man he has to be to win the approval of white voters.
"I do think that a mayor of colour is a possibility," he said. "It's not because it will be ticking any boxes, but because it will happen.
"When people first heard about the idea of the play they thought it was slightly fantastical but in seeing the play they realise it's highly possible. But I want a Mayor of colour in London to be a great Mayor of colour."
Reader views (11)
So, James, the americans didn't actually have an "Obama" moment as the Blair earlier version?
- Ramalamadingdong, Broxbourne
The "Obama moment" was important because of Americas history. We are not America.
- Paul, London
If by "Obama moment", he means someone being swept into power on a wave of celebrity then failing to achieve much of anything for a full year in office, then I for one am happy to wait as long as possible. We've had a Prime Minister who was all style and no substance before.
- James, London
Keep dreaming.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants
It's regrettable that "the colour of someone's skin" is brought into the debate. Surely, the requirements of a suitable mayor would include a need to reflect the views of the majority of people in London. The experience in Chicago was a total lack of transparency, an abuse of the system through patronage and an inherent incompetence bred from patronage.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire
It appears that all that glistens is not in fact gold - Obama was elected nearly a year ago and as yet has done nothing constructive for any race/religion - It appears that he has lost a vast amount of popularity and does not have good policies outside of the universal health care scheme which is highly unlikely to be a success due to the fortunes to be made in private health care. Being a black president is one thing, being a credible president quite another. The best person for any job should not be decided on skin colour or on some framework of time to ensure that a country looks to be inclusive. Utter tosh
- Tracy, London
Uhm, excuse me but what has the colour of someone's skin have to do with their ability to do a job. It's very obvious that institutionalised racism is prevalent on both sides of the fence.
Also Boris didn't simply walk in off the street, he has business interests and has served as an MP.
- Dannyp, Egham
Why do want a 'black' mayor to represent the ethnic community? Why not a Chinese mayor, a Bangaldeshi mayor, a Turkish mayor or a Greek mayor?
- Patrick, Dalston
What about an Indian of Chinese Mayor?
- Porky Pies, New Addington, Croydon
Let's hope Britain's first 'black' Mayor will be like Obama, half black AND half white. Says it all.
- Leo, London
The first black mayor of Chicago in the 80s was anything but a success. The "experiment" went downhill fast and I know, because I lived there at the time.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire
