Campaigns groups Operation Black Vote (OBV) have organised what is set to be the biggest political rally of the 2010 general election.

With an estimated audience of 2,500 people and a BME (black and minority ethnic) media broadcast and web cast to nearly a million people, this event  is planned to take place at 6.30 pm Wednesday 28^th April 2010, and is  expected to be the biggest political rally of the 2010 General Election.  

In an anticipated closely fought election battle, the BME vote becomes crucial.  OBV have outlined that there are at least 120 marginal seats that the black electorate could have significantly influence.  OBV are clear that this also presents the opportunity to demand greater social and racial justice.

Community activists have welcomed this event and are hoping people from African Caribbean communities will go online to register for this event and make sure they are registered so that they can  vote on May 6^th .

They are clear that no other group within the UK has a greater vested interest in using the vote to bring about change in the policies that have caused such harm to the community over the past few years. 

They point to the wholesale closure of community based mental health services across the country, the criminalisation of hundreds of thousands of innocent black people through the national criminal DNA database as issues all political parties need to make a commitment to changing.

Community activist also say there must be a commitment from all the main parties to address the  disturbingly high rates of school exclusions of young black pupils and the over representation of black people within all custodial setting, despite having lower offending rates than the host population. There have also been calls for politicians to take action to halt to the increasing death rate of black people while in custodial settings or detainted under the Mental Health Act . 

Main political parties in attendance
The main party political leaders have been invited and have all indicated they would like to be there, confirming the increasing awareness of the significance that the black vote now plays in British politics.

Research on the black electorate shows that in a closely fought political race, black, African, Asian, Caribbean and other ethnic minorities will hold the key to who wins and who loses this election.

OBV are clear that this presents minority communities living in the UK with a unique opportunity to have a powerful voice during this election campaign. They are calling for justice, and equality of opportunity in all areas at all levels of society, not least in education.

OBV have organised this event as part our collective opportunity to tell the political leaders and their parties that ethnic minorities living in the UK care about their nation and demand to make it a better place for everyone.

Rally one week before the election

The rally will include other prominent speakers and has been organised OBV in partnership with church leaders, other faith leaders, business leaders, activists and the Peace Alliance.
Planned just one week before the nation goes to the polls, pundits say that  this event could be the deciding factor in what party gets elected to government for the next five years.

The event, entitled ‘Black Britain Decides' is scheduled for on Wednesday 28^th of April 2010, at 6.30pm. It is to be held at The Methodist Church, Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London, SW1H 9NH. 

Organisers are encouraging people to spread the word about this unique opportunity for Black Britain to play a positive and powerful role in this critical General Election campaign. 

A coalition of Black leaders including church leaders, business leaders, activists, faith groups, Operation Black Vote, The Peace Alliance, 1990 Trust, Just West Yorkshire, Equanomics UK and many others are all part of the consortium of organisations which have joined forces with OBV to host the largest political rally seen in the UK for a generation.

Early registration recommended due to limited spaces at the

‘Black Britain Decides' is free and early registration is recommended due to limited places.  You can register on the web at: http://www.blackbritaindecides.com/

For further information please contact Jyoti Bhojani or Aisha Hassan on T: 0208 983 5474/60 E: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it / This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it