Breaking News:Deputy Leader Harriet Harman in the Limelight Again!

By Alhagie Mbye, London Bureau Chief

Following her successful choice as Deputy Party leader of the Labour Party, Harriet Harman is once again in the limelight as many supporters in her constituency of Camberwell and Peckham in South London expresses delight and pleasure of her new position with high expectation of further development and growth.

Many of the shops and businesses including those owned by West Africans have her pictures and posters demanding other people to help vote for her in the future for the interest of the whole constituency.

‘‘Vote Labour’’ was a message of one of the Deputy Leader’s posters in a barber’s shop owned by a West Africans national. Another in an internet shop operated by a Caribbean but consist of some West African staff also bears her poster with a similar message. The trend seems to continue along the High Street indicating the level of popularity the Deputy Leader is currently enjoying.

There is no doubt that many of these people living in her area have the conviction that she is the right candidate and had all along assisted them in achieving some of their most important needs and requirements.

The support for Harriet comes all over Britain because 65 Members of Parliament nominated her from England, Wales and Scotland during her contest for the position of Deputy Leader of the Labour Party. Amongst her nominators are Members of the Cabinet, Junior Ministers and Backbenchers including ethnic minority MPs who value her work and determination.

The Deputy Leader has maintained that her passion for Africa and Africans. Her constituency is home to people from 14 African countries including the Gambia. She recognises that these communities have given her a unique insight into key foreign policy issues including the tackling of poverty in Africa. She said such communities are also tackling poverty in their own way by sending money back to their country of origin.

Climate change is also one of her greatest challenge at home and abroad because according to her if unchecked, it will destroy our way of life and wipe out all the gains from development overseas.

In her post as Minister for Constitutional Affairs, she tackled the ‘democratic deficit’ in Ethnic Minorities communities

Harriet Harman said: ‘‘we have a unique opportunity to re-assess our foreign policy. We must tackle the mistrust which has become a cause of resentment both within and outside Labour. Democratisation of the Foreign Office would see it catch up with the outward looking culture that Labour has brought into other government departments’’.

Harriet served in the Shadow Cabinet under Neil Kinnock and John Smith as they shaped the Labour Party and prepared for victory in 1997. As social Security Secretary she also introduced the minimum income guarantee and £200 Winter Fuel Payment for pensioners. As Cabinet Minister for Women she established the National Childcare Strategy. Also as Solicitor General from 2001 she led the drive to make tackling domestic violence a Government priority.

Former Party Leader Neil Kinnock describes the New Party Leader as ‘‘very bright, fluent, utterly committed, Labour through and through….she is one who can reach out and secure the support we need’’.

Some West Africans nationals including Gambians in her constituency who spoke to Freedom newspaper promise to continue their support for the new Deputy Leader and wish her good luck in her new position.

END