Page 79 - Powerlist 2020

Tower and I think that the inquiry
Jeremy Corbyn as PM, Brexit could
which resulted was in part because of have been managed better?
some of the things I said in those early I’m an independent-minded guy. I’m
moments. I am also pleased that the not here to toady up to anybody. I call Politics, Law & Religion
issues of compensation and the review it as it is. Yeah I’ve been critical of my
into Windrush were all were triggered own party and my own leadership, but
by the urgent debate that I had on the of course I support Jeremy Corbyn.
issue. So I personally feel that I am able He’s actually very popular in my
to affect the public debate. constituency and the broader black
The Labour Party has currently got a community. I want to see a government
position where it’s committed now to a that restores decency and dignity to our
second referendum, and I was the first country, that cherishes our multicultural
Member of Parliament in Britain to call heritage and supports working people
for a second referendum. Additionally, if in our schools, hospitals and public
you look at the amount of followers that services, and I think that we’d get that if
I have on Twitter, after Theresa May, we had a Labour government.
David Cameron, Jeremy Corbyn and
Sadiq Khan, next comes me, so I have a What are your thoughts on your former
platform that people are connected to. Labour colleague Chuka Ummuna who
All I can do is to speak for the hard work left Labour to join independent party
that I’ve put in and what I’m able to Change UK, and then left them to join
achieve as one guy in the political the Liberal Democrats?
system and individuals will have Chuka was once my intern, when he
to draw their own judgments was 19, 20 and I’ve always been a loyal
about how effective they think I kind of guy (laughs). It’s an up-and-
or other colleagues have been. down game and I recognise that. I
wish him well and I have no animosity
Do you think Britain could towards him at all on a personal level.
have a black Prime Minister I mean you are not going to get me to
in future? badmouth the young man – that’s not
Yes, definitely. Whether going to happen. What it boils down
it’s a Prime Minister who is to is, he must make the choices that
able to communicate and feel right to him and we will see what
act on some of the issues happens. But it is a shame that he has
of prejudice and racism decided to turn his back on Streatham
that remain in our society, as I know from knocking on doors there
we’ll have to see. I say this in the past and the fact that I have a lot
because I don’t think it’s just of friends and family in south London,
about the fact of being black, that he was very popular.
it’s about being prepared to
challenge and deal with some What would you say has been the
of those issues. But just as we’ve proudest moment of your career?
seen Sadiq Khan become Mayor I’ve had lots of moments in my career
of London, it’s possible for us to that I’m proud of, such as the work I
see a black Prime Minister. did with the report into the criminal
justice system and I want to see a
You ran for Mayor of London in 2016, Labour government come to power
but is Prime Minister a role you have and implement that. When I stood up
ambitions about? in Parliament and raised the Windrush
I don’t spend my time thinking issue, that was a very emotional
about the next job. I spend my moment for me. My parents are no
time doing the job that I’m doing longer with us and I was thinking about
and that’s why I do it so well. them and the sacrifice they gave to this
The minute you start worrying country and how proud they were of
about the next job in politics their history and their children. I was
you start compromising the nearly in tears when I gave that speech
decisions that you make and when I said to Amber Rudd, “if you
because you want to pull lie down with dogs, you get fleas”, it
up the greasy pole. And I was very much my mother coming out
don’t want that. of my mouth. (Laughs). I’ve had quite
a number of moments in my career
You’ve been very where I felt I was true to who I am,
critical of Boris and the and in life that’s all you can do. Your
Tory Government in conscience has got to be clear and I’m
general. Do you think happy as I sit here giving this interview
that under Labour and with that my conscience is clear.
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