CAIRO, March 22, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) - One in five ethnic minority voters in the United Kingdom have considered leaving Britain because of racial intolerance as Labour's support among them has fallen to 58 percent, a recent poll showed.

The Guardian/ICM poll published Monday, March 21, showed that Labour's support among Britain's ethnic minority voters has fallen to 58%, from 75% in 2001, and they are far less likely to get to the polls than the rest of the population.

The poll found that only 39 percent of ethnic minority voters see themselves as “fully British”, regardless of how long they have lived here, and more than half say they have been a victim of name-calling or verbal abuse, according to the Guardian.

Nearly half say that when they hear people talking about immigrants they think they mean them, regardless of how long they have been in Britain.

The poll confirms earlier polls showing that Muslim voters in particular have defected from Labour in the wake of the Iraq invasion-turned-occupation.

Labour's support has halved among Muslims, from 75 per cent to 38 per cent since 2001, according to previous polls.

On a more positive note, the survey found higher than expected levels of trust in the police, health and education authorities to treat them fairly, according to the daily.

Also, the poll showed that people who describe themselves as coming from a mixed-race background appear to be less alienated, more optimistic and more integrated into British society.

The poll further revealed that political parties will not necessarily benefit by putting up an ethnic minority candidate in a seat with a large ethnic minority population and the overwhelming majority have no expectation that they will see a prime minister from an ethnic minority in Britain in their lifetime.

The poll was undertaken, according to The Guardian, to highlight the needs and experiences of Britain's ethnic minority voters, and their relevance to the coming election campaign as Labour seeks a third term.

To draw a more comprehensive picture, The Guardian asked prominent members of Britain's ethnic minority communities to talk about their thoughts regarding race, identity and politics ahead of the election.

“I see myself as African and British. If anyone travels the world they will see that Britain is one of the best places in the world for black people in terms of opportunities.

“We need existing laws to be applied more effectively and for more people to support them,” Uanu Seshmi, 45, director of the Boyhood to Manhood Independent School and Special Needs Organisation, two children, told the daily.

Kingsley Abrams, vice-chair Black Socialist Society, married, two children, said: “I am a black European because I am pro-Europe, and a black West Indian because I was brought up in the West Indies.

“I have experienced racism in the Labour Party. I don't feel we are properly represented there but we are working on that. You can't have a perfect party.”

“Racial inequality is a very important part of my life. The perception that people have of me is very much in my mind. I think of myself as fully British (in the main). I haven't personally experienced racism for years,” Aaqil Ahmed, 35, commissioning editor, religion, Channel 4, married, three children, said.

Ahmed Versi, 53, editor of Muslim News, lives in Harrow, London told The Guardian that he needs to know from the political parties what they are doing about representation.

“We only have two Muslim members of parliament. We should have between 17 and 19 according to our population.”

The poll results came as the Labour party said it will increase its number of minority MPs by selecting a shortlist of black and Asian candidates for one of its safest seats, The Guardian said Monday.

The party’s national executive has selected four activists to do battle for the chance to replace Paul Boateng as MP for Brent South, it added.

The Brent candidate will be elected later this week.

Those on the shortlist are Razi Rahman, a Downing Street policy adviser; Mary Foulkes, an activist from Southwark, south London; Dawn Butler, the GMB union policy officer who was controversially and narrowly beaten by a white candidate during the West Ham selection last month; and Navin Shah, leader of Harrow council in west London.

There are just 13 minority MPs in the Commons, 12 from Labour and one from the Liberal Democrats.

Read also in The Guardian…