Blog

Chair of Chinese for Labour, Sonny Leong has publically criticised the language of Scottish Labour MP Hugh Gaffney.

Hugh Gaffney MP, who represents Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill used a derogatory word when describing a Chinese meal, while speaking at a Scottish Labour student event in Edinburgh. MP has since apologised and agreed to go to equality and diversity training.

The Chair of Chinese for Labour Sonny Leong said, “There is no excuse for the use of this word.  It is deeply offensive.  It is our understanding that Hugh has rightly issued an unreserved apology and that is accepted.  However, we would always welcome further opportunities to work with politicians, including Hugh, to bring greater awareness and understanding about how best to tackle racism against the Chinese and East Asian communities living and working in the UK.

“The racism that ethnic Chinese people face in their daily lives is something we must all stand up to.  The Chinese community in Britain are hardworking and have contributed a lot. However the unfavourable representation in UK mainstream media and politics shows just how much more work we need to get rid of this stereotype of being an invisible community and that it is somehow ok to poke fun of.”

In a statement, Mr Gaffney stated, “Last week I attended a Labour Students Burns Supper in Edinburgh. At that event I used certain language relating to the Chinese and LGBVT communities that was wrong and completely inappropriate.”

“I want to offer my unreserved apologies for what I said; my remarks were deeply offensive and unacceptable.

“I will do everything possible to make amends with both the Chinese community and the LGBT community.”

Come and join us to celebrate the Year of the Dog at our Gala Chinese New Year Banquet 2018 on Wednesday, 28th February 2018.

The event will be held at the Phoenix Palace Restaurant, 3-5 Glentworth Street, London NW1 5PG, and will begin with a champagne reception with canapés at 6.30 pm, followed by dinner at 7.15 pm.

As in previous years, we will be joined by Senior Shadow Cabinet Members, Ministers and Peers, together with leading members of the Chinese business and community leaders. This glamorous event draws together the British East Asian Actors, creative communities and supporters from the Labour movement.

Click HERE to book your place, or book it HERE via Eventbrite

We look forward to seeing you there.

It’s become commonplace to suggest that voters in the predominantly pro-Leave areas will suffer the brunt of the decision to leave the EU. However analysis from Centre for Cities and the Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) shows that these places will actually be less directly affected by Brexit than cities in the South East, at least when it comes to the impact of our changing trade relationships with the EU and the rest of the world.

It’s hardly ever a good idea to start talking about chlorinated chickens, as Liam Fox should have known, when answering questions about the trade talks he started with the US. Chlorinated chickens have become a moot point, but that’s only the start of the problems with a potential US-UK trade deal.

There has been a lot of debate recently about what being a member of the single market requires in terms of freedom of movement. People on all sides of the debate say that staying in the trading bloc means accepting unfettered freedom of movement – but the reality is more complex than that.  

Britain will leave the European Union in March 2019 – and will need to decide on a new approach to immigration. While the central fact of Britain’s referendum decision remains unchanged and the Article 50 clock keeps ticking, much of the detail has been thrown up in the air by the June 2017 General Election. Voters did not give Theresa May the large majority she requested, a personal mandate with which to steer through her own, unyielding vision for Brexit.

The EU is hardly perfect, but the idea Europe is some kind of right-wing 'neoliberal project' can only represent a combination of wilful ignorance and ideologically-induced blindness.

The 2017 election campaign was the most remarkable in recent British political history. As the dust settles on the election, many politicians and commentators have put their spin on why the campaign saw such dramatic changes in vote intentions.

Date: 10 October 2017 | Time: 18:00 to 20:00 | Venue: Committee Room 10, Palace of Westminster

Speaker: Professor Stephen Chan OBE

Chair: Rt Hon the Lord Tom McNally

China has become increasingly engaged politically and economically with African nations and the nature of its involvement across the continent is highly varied – while it supports infrastructure development, the service sector, manufacturing and natural resources projects, it’s loans also increase African debt.

But what might be the Chinese motives behind these engagements – political influence or profit? Are they any different from those of Western nations?

Some countries are responding very successfully, as they learn that today, in a time of competition for resources, they can dictate or negotiate terms. But which are successful and which not? What might we all learn from these experiences?

Nee Hao Magazine, UK's leading online magazine for the British Chinese Community, recently conducted a poll of its readers living in London, Midlands, the North West, North East and the South West of England, over a period of twenty eight days. They polled 250 males, 250 females aged between 18 to 60-years-old, who they would be voting for on June 8, 2017.