#0018 Politricks and Queens

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Morning Loved Ones,

Happy Monday! Every week there's so many things to potentially say. Like did you read the story about the three Black babies found abandoned in East London at least 2 to 3 years apart? The reason why the story captured headlines is because it turns out all three children have the same parents based on DNA testing but noone knows who they are. I had to remind myself that I have no space in my house for three more children and not to judge, to be honest. This is not like when I was at school and girls were using the morning after pill as a contraceptive. This is full to term carrying a child and then labour. This has to be more than a mistake. I can't imagine how a story like this comes about and how it will play out over its lifetime.

Here are other things that have made me think over the last week:

UPCOMING GENERAL ELECTION

So Rishi finally called an election, adding to an already confusing time in the world. I'm not going to lie to you - I don't have the deepest political knowledge though I vote time and studied politics at college. I even take my eldest son to the ballot box each time so he can see the process. But I consider my politics more ‘conversational’ rather than steeped in historical facts and figures. However, with things being the way they are I spend more Sunday mornings watching shows like Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg (BBC) or tuning into political debates like the one between the Prime Minister and Sir Keir Starmer.

But here's the thing: I might not be able to reel of the policies or faux pas of each party over the last few years but what I do intimately know is Communications and PR strategy and messaging. So when I watch anything I'm always analysing things like the language used, who they've chosen to deliver the message, why they've decided to announce certain things at a certain time etc etc.

I remember accurately predicting that Boris had caught COVID based on the comms. I was in a raging debate with people on Facebook as I explained why I believed it to be the case and they fought me tooth and nail. Ironically, they announced him being in hospital right in the middle of it. My timeline became very quiet after that. Being a Comms person is about connection with masses of people, understanding how people think and reading body language. So when I watched the debate, I rolled my eyes when Rishi mentioned his parents had "every day" jobs. An attempt to humanise the man worth around £750m and has been in private school and around extremely wealthy people for the majority of his life. His wealth doesn't make him intrinsically bad and I wrote about how despite having the top job he's still a person of colour likely to be scapegoated or removed depending on his successes but neither he nor Starmer really understand what it means to live day-to-day in this country. What I will say though is that Rishi gave us a performance with a bit more bite than his opponent.

Then you have people like Nigel “Brexit for all you but not for me” Farrage coming back into the ring showing how short the British public’s memory is in some circles.

I was stunned to see footage of Farrage actually saying we need to forget about race when it comes to knife crime and search everybody. He's been challenged a couple of times on comments that teeter on being racially prejudicial but is doing this really weird ‘all for one’ position, atypical to his previous campaigning. Whatever it is he and his colleagues are doing is a headf**k to watch as you know that each one is finessing their responses to suit their own agenda.

Thankfully, television presenter Marverine Cole's The Trouble With Politics podcast has been what feels like a safe space to hear conversations led by someone who looks like us. Her latest episode talks about 'the Black vote' and explores the state of our political system so I've included the episode in this edition in case you too are working through your thoughts on what to do on July 4th. I'd absolutely love to hear what each party intends to do for Black women…

IS IT ACCEPTABLE TO VIDEO CALL IN 2024?

A male friend of mine - for the purposes of anonymity we'll call 6ft dark and Ghanaian - was telling me about an approach that was made on him recently which ended in the exchange of numbers. What I enjoy about most of the men in my life is that they tend to miss the play. By the time I heard he was told "Let’s be friends" from someone he'd never met and randomly walked up to him on the street, I knew what time it was. My friend though being the gentleman that he is took it at face value.

However, later that day he received a video call. At an obscene time in the morning. Insert record scratch An unsolicited video call at anytime of day is right up there with the question "Where are you?" for me - a hard no unless you're my man, waiting on me or my mother. Not even my bonafide friends would randomly video call me. Having recently had to shut similar s*** down with a guy I went to university with, I'm seeing this behaviour is unnecessarily rife! Am I old? Are they intrusive or are video calls just normal now? Let me know what you think.

At the time of writing this he's messaged me from Ghana to say it's happened to him again with someone else.

HAVE YOU WATCHED QUEENIE YET?

I know I've been going on and on about it (at least it feels like it) and it finally came out last Tuesday. Whilst I love seeing a deliciously curve Black woman take the lead on prime time TV, I had some reservations. You can read more on my personal blog. What did you think: Am I asking too much of the drama? Did you love or loathe it?

And that's me this week. Email me if there's anything you think I should be talking about.

Until next week, Loved One

P.S. I came across a charity called Little Village which is essentially a baby bank for parents who may need a little help with bits and pieces for their little ones. I'm gutted by grateful this exists. Sharing in case anyone needs the support.

P.P.S It's Father’s Day on Sunday.

Our book of the week doesn't come out until September but comes from a Black woman who is no stranger to the spotlight. Diane Abbott MP has had a book written about her before but it seems like this time she's telling her story herself. Here's the synopsis:

From challenging expectations as a bright and restless child of the Windrush generation to making history as the first elected Black female MP in the UK, Diane Abbott has seen it all.

A Woman Like Me takes readers through Diane’s incredible journey, painting a vivid picture of growing up in 1960s North London with her working-class Jamaican parents, before entering the hallowed halls of Cambridge University to study history. Ever since the day she first walked through the House of Commons as the first Black woman MP, she has been a fearless and vocal champion for the causes that have made Britain what it is today, whether it’s increasing access to education for Black children and speaking out against the Iraq war or advocating tirelessly for refugees and immigrants.

A unique figure in British public life, Diane has often had nothing but the courage of her convictions to carry her through incredibly hostile environments, from torrential abuse in the mainstream media and on social media, to being shunned by the political establishment, including by her own party. Written with frankness and wry humour, A Woman Like Me is an inspirational account that celebrates how one woman succeeded against massive odds and built an extraordinary legacy.