To think this is a wee bit racist?

[DaysAreWhereWeLive]

I've just been on Twitter to see that Chuka Ummuna is trending because he has thrown his hat into the ring for the Labour leadership contest.

The first two tweets called him 'the next Barrack Obama' (presumably because he's black) and 'the Fresh Prince'. (er, same)

Is it all just a bit cringy and wrong? Essentially they were pointing out nothing about his politics, his experience or his chances at leadership. Just the fact that he is black. Anybody else think the same?

MNPostingbot

There's a difference between being articulate and charismatic. I don't think Chuku is particularly charismatic but that is the comparison people are trying to make.

Obama is crazy charismatic btw (I met him and died). But none of them hold a candle to Bill Clinton. When I met him, I understood what a power it is to be able to win people over like he could. He had this way about him - my god! Anyway, I agree that "articulate" is often a racialized comment but he's being called charismatic (wrongly i think) rather than articulate. I actually think he reads as a bit of a cold snob.

And many politicans in the UK are not articulate. A lot of them sound like buffoons. Yvette Cooper is about 10 times as articulate as Ed Balls for e.g. Gordon Brown was one of the least articulate politicians I have ever seen.

Apple I agree with you, but why is articulate 'often a racialised comment'. I honestly have never encountered it in that way.

Just tiresome these people who look for racism/sexism etc in every sentence.

Chuka does not connect with the working classes in a way that is going to win them over from what I've seen so far. In one interview he focused on his father's experiences coming to Britain and mentioned his mother only in passing - "she had a very different upbringing altogether" - struck me as glossing over why he got a private education for example, if he is not up front from the start then it is worse when people hear it.

My money for the first BAME leader is Sajid Javid in a few years time. He is also in the ideal department to play to his strengths now.

Apparently Chukka has withdrawn from the leadership race!

Indeed he has.. Apparently he doesn't like the scrutiny that goes along with a leadership race or becoming Labour leader... It does make you wonder if the alleged trust fund in the Jersey tax haven has anything to do with it!