Election '97: Black community play race card on Labour

The race card has finally been played on Labour, not by a Tory backbencher but by senior figures in the black community.

The television presenter Darcus Howe and an alliance of black church leaders in south London are seeking to mobilise the black vote behind the Liberal Democrats. In particular, they are backing Keith Kerr, a black LibDem candidate, to oust Labour's Kate Hoey from her Vauxhall constituency, which includes Brixton. They claim Labour has overlooked the concerns of black people while concentrating its efforts on the fight for middle England.

Bernie Grant, Labour candidate for Tottenham, appeared to endorse such a view when he attacked the "offensive" use of a bulldog in Labour's campaign. He told a meeting of the North Islington Black Socialist Society: "The question of race has been raised in an obscure way by the Labour Party."

In his speech, delivered to a private meeting last week and made public yesterday, he said: "Regiments like the Coldstream Guards had this bulldog as their mascot and they used to terrorise people in Africa, the Caribbean and elsewhere.

"When they went into battle against the Zulus, they used to sing "Rule Britannia", "Land of Hope and Glory" and these types of songs.

"It is a damn disgrace that the Labour Party of all parties, that is supposed to be an international party, it is a disgrace that they should use these kinds of symbols in order to push for the fact that they are patriotic."

In Vauxhall, Mr Kerr, a manager with British Airways and who was born in nearby Peckham, has won the support of several prominent black church leaders.

The Reverend Hewie Andrew, a Methodist minister, and the Reverend David Udo, director of race relations for the Diocese of Southwark, have organised meetings for Mr Kerr to speak to members of other black-led churches.

Mr Andrew said: "If Keith wins then all the political parties will have to think, think and think again. They would never be able to take us for granted again."

Canvassing on a south London estate yesterday, Ms Hoey said she was not concerned by the threat posed by Mr Kerr and expected to increase her already large majority of over 10,000.

She said she had been well-received by black constituents during the campaign. "The black community is nearly 100 per cent solid behind me," she said.