I've had a lot of traffic over my article in today's paper about Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, who has warned that the election of Barack Obama as US President would prolong rather than end America's racial divide. I must admit that this falls into the category of a counter-intuitive story: when I heard about the piece Phillips had penned for Prospect magazine, I rang its editor to make sure it was written by THE Trevor Phillips and not another one.
Phillips has an eye for a debate - he spotted the limits of "multiculturalism" long before this became fashionable - and has now provoked one about Obama. Some on the left are already crying foul and accusing him of betraying a cause he should be advancing. Sunder Katwala, the clever general secretary of the Labour-affiliated Fabian Society, told me he found Phillips' remarks "very odd" and challenged his depiction of Obama as another cynical politician.
"Trevor is entitled to his view, though it's disappointing that Britain's most prominent black public voice doesn't seem to want to recognise history in the making," Katwala said. If Phillips is irritated that Obama has achieved what he has without being descended from slaves, then he's sending entirely the wrong message to say so publicly. "We need him [Phillips] to be a crusader for equal opportunity for all, and to make that as powerful a message in Britain as the American Dream has made it in America," Katwala added. "That isn't compatible with the idea that some minorities have special status for historic reasons, and that those who are mixed race can't aspire to lead if they have the talent to do so."
Finally, Katwala accused Phillips of slipping into the old politics of "divisive multiculturalism" of which he has been such a prominent critic. Ouch.
Trevor Phillips is afraid of losing his six figure job, thats why. If Barack Obama becomes president, every child will see that if you work hard enough, then you too can succed. Trevor Philips, if he wants to make a difference would do better in pointing out to the Black community here in Britain (of which I'm one) the horrendous rates of children being born out of wedlock and educational problems. But he is too busy in is ivory tower and grand lunches to bother nor care.
Posted by: Kelly Pierce | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 05:21 PM
Trevor Phillips is afraid of losing his six figure job, thats why. If Barack Obama becomes president, every child will see that if you work hard enough, then you too can succed. Trevor Philips, if he wants to make a difference would do better in pointing out to the Black community here in Britain (of which I'm one) the horrendous rates of children being born out of wedlock and educational problems. But he is too busy in is ivory tower and grand lunches to bother nor care.
Posted by: Kelly Pierce | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 05:21 PM
Trevor Phillips doesn't really make a decent case for exactly why Barck Obama would "would prolong rather than end America's racial divide". He's welcome to his views but gives the impression that he doesn't approve of black politicians who have taken different path to the one he has chosen. I'd say that an elected black president would do far more to combat racism than an unelected black head of the Commission for Equalities and Human Rights.
Posted by: Mark | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 05:28 PM
It is a bizarre comment from TP, the inference being that the racial divide would be lessened if he lost. How can that be? I think TP is going to lose a lot of credibility over this one - it's one thing to court publicity, it's quite another to look like an arse.
Posted by: Jakers | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 05:29 PM
Phillips has an eye for a debate - he spotted the limits of "multiculturalism" long before this became fashionable - and has now provoked one about Obama.
Not as "long before" as that evil right-winger Norman Tebbitt. What did Phillips say when Tebbitt spoke out? He denounced him. The same will happen with Enoch Powell: denounced by the left, proved a true prophet in the end.
Posted by: DoyledDeef | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 06:49 PM
As a black persom it saddens me to see another dissing one who is on the rise. Trevor you are nothing but an old uncle tom who is completeley out of touch
Posted by: shaun gibbs | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 08:30 PM
We have been waiting for someone like Barack Obama, to enter the American political scene, since JFK, RFK, and MLK...
It is rare indeed, that someone could invigorate the sleepy American masses, to aspire again to something higher than consumerism and our facination with war and death. Thank God for Barack Obama, in this election season. Without him, at the least- it would be dull, indeed...
Posted by: Robert Gimbel | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 09:52 PM
Trevor Phillips more readily promotes ethnic minorities as unequal than equal at many a media opportunity. Did someone make a serious typo when they handed him his job title?
He seems to be just as involved in segregationist scaremongering as the BNP. An own goal if ever there was.
Posted by: Sarah | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 10:26 PM
Trevor Phillips more readily promotes ethnic minorities as unequal than equal at many a media opportunity. Did someone make a serious typo when they handed him his job title?
He seems to be just as involved in segregationist scaremongering as the BNP. An own goal if ever there was.
Posted by: Sarah | Thursday, 28 February 2008 at 10:31 PM
I found this an incredible piece, charged with all manner of racist assumptions. Imagine the outcry if the BNP had described a mixed race person in the way as Phillips - effectively condemning Obama for not being black enough.
Who can be confident in him upholding equality issues in the UK? I think his position is untenable, and he should resign or be fired immediately.
Posted by: Anand | Friday, 29 February 2008 at 02:24 PM
Is it Trevor Phillips job to create racial tension,
disharmony & unrest? If Nick Griffin(BNP)were to say similar, he would be prosecuted! Another example of DOUBLE
STANDARDS. America's presidential election is all about who has the bigest Bandwagon and Budget! Money talks in USA, if you have enough you can even 'buy' the
Presidency !!
Posted by: Graham Reed | Friday, 29 May 2009 at 10:30 AM