British PM

[BertiWooster]

Will Britain be ready for a non white Prime Minister , in the near future .

My own feeling is that the British people - or the majority of - haven't travelled along this road yet - unlike our friends across the pond .

What's your views on the subject and reasons for your views ?

[sp1814]

It's not bigotry. It's blindingly obvious. And I know this from personal experience. My mum was a nurse in the 70s and 80s (worked in several old people's homes) and used to come with sone shocking stories.

Go ask a 70 year old if they'd be happy with a black or gay Prime Minister and report their answers back to AB.

In fact, don't bother - we all know what they'd say.

There are loads of genuinely fair-minded, open and accepting elderly, but taken as a whole, they are FAR more bigoted than, say, a similar group taken from the same socio-economic group, but under 40.

[sp1814]

Zeuhl

Forgot about the great Dame Shirley!

Sir Cliff doesn't count, because he's not of mixed race parentage. And as for Englebert...I thought he was white???

[joeluke]

It'll never happen

[modeller]

Englebert and Cliff were both born in India and Cliff is a dedicated bachelor .

[VHG]

>Well, unless anyone can come up with some credible non white candidates, your question is fairly pointless.

I guess his question was prompted by Diane Abbott saying she would stand for leader of the labour party.

IF she got that job, and IF Labour won an election she would be prime minister.

As has been said, most British people would not care if they were good at their job.

[naomi24]

I really wish people would stop thinking in colour!! Culture is the stumbling block, not colour. I’d defy even AOG to kick a Singapore Airlines girl out of bed - well in his younger days of course. (Sorry AOG, couldn‘t resist it). :o)

[237SJ]

sp1814 what evidence do you have to state that very many elderly people are very very bigoted?

[sp1814]

237SJ

Personal experience - lots of it (grew up near Bermondsey).

[anotheoldgit]

An interesting adult debate, but I wonder if it would have been the same had I had posted exactly the same question? Even so I had to be included in the debate, but not in an offensive but a humorous way. The answer to this I have to say 1/ I belong to a generation that usually didn't sleep around, and 2/ and much more important my wife wouldn't let me.

In answer to the question in hand, no I would have no objection to a black Prime Minister, just as he or she was the best person for the job, and not just because they were black, and providing they addressed both black and white issues.

Now a Muslim PM? that is entirely a different kettle of fish.

[rowanwitch]

My feeling is if we have a non white pm they will probably be female, probably asian, and probably a tory and within the next thirty years as I suspect people will be happier with the least 'threatening option' The tories were brave enough to go with a woman long before the party of social equality after all.

Might place a bet on it..... quite like long term bets they often have terrific odds

[Zeuhl]

/// no I would have no objection to a black Prime Minister, just as he or she was the best person for the job, and not just because they were black, and providing they addressed both black and white issues.

Now a Muslim PM? that is entirely a different kettle of fish. ///

Tend to agree with that POV (that's scary!)

It is all about Values.

Talking of scary - If Diane Abbott did become Lab leader and then PM, she could have a ready made coalition with her old mate Michael Portillo!

And a job for Andrew Neil of course.