'If you want a nigger for a neighbour vote Liberal or Labour'

New African, Oct 2004 by Goodwin, Clayton

Then just over a decade later, Margaret Thatcher, who had succeeded to the leadership of the Conservative Party, referred to the country being "swamped by an alien culture" and romped home to victory the next year in the 1979 general election.

"Now here's a funny thing" - to quote the old-time Cockney comedian Max Miller. You would have thought contemporary politicians, trade union leaders, community relations representatives and prelates would have been eager to prove the situation had changed considerably since the "bad old days" of 1964.

Yet when New African invited a dozen of those associated most closely with the West Midlands, and in particular with race relations and party strategy, for their comments on the progress made in the last four decades, they all (bar one) "looked the other way" - pleading that their work-schedules prevented them from giving time to the request.

Smethwick 1964 is the nasty smell in British politics which everyone in the country's public life wishes would go away.

The sole, and honourable, exception has been the Labour MP, John Spellar, the representative for Warley, which includes the old Smethwick constituency. His reply deserves to be quoted in full:

"The changes which have taken place since the notorious election in 1964 have been considerable. Firstly, of course, in 1966 the seat was won back by my predecessor, Andrew Faulds.

"Since then in local policies and indeed representatives on the Council and also the attitude in the community, there has been considerable moves towards a multi-cultural identity that is not only a factor of the very substantial percentage of the constituency who are from the ethnic community, something like 25%, but also there are much better relations between communities.

"There is a very clear understanding that they do not want to go back to those days that gave Smethwick such an unfortunate national representation. Indeed I think it is fair to say that today, far from beingan unfavourable example, Smethwick is an extremely good example of how hard work and goodwill, along with public investment, can turn a situation around."

Spellars remarks are much appreciated. By the time of going to press - well over a month after the invitations to comment had been issued - Michael Howard, the new leader of the Conservative Party, had not taken the opportunity to "correct" the adverse light cast on his party by the incident at Smethwick.

As for Prime Minister Tony Blair ... surely he would have jumped at the opportunity to emulate his predecessor, Harold Wilson, in declaring racist politicians to be "political lepers" ... well, not quite.

John O'Connell of his office in Downing Street told us: "I regret that the many calls on Mr Blair's time make it impossible to send you his personal comments."

Ah well, the man did have an "ongoing situation" in Iraq to occupy his time and a holiday to take with Silvio Berlusconi, the rightwing Italian prime minister.