Jesse Jackson's dream

Nick Watson Producer Politics Show West Midlands

The Reverend Jesse Jackson is heading to Birmingham, hoping to translate the 'Obama bounce' into political engagement among ethnic minority communities here.

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The Reverend Jesse Jackson

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He is the star speaker at the annual Equanomics UK Convention, which is being held at the Mount Zion Church in Aston this Sunday - 30 November 2008.

Mr Jackson's trip coincides with a surge of optimism about a "Barack Obama ripple effect" on this side of the Atlantic, following the Illinois senator's presidential election win.

Moved to tears

One of the most memorable images, following Obama's victory on 4 November, was of Jackson moved to tears after years campaigning for black civil rights in the United States.

Mr Jackson's mentor, Dr Martin Luther King, had the dream and Obama had made it a reality.

But Mr Jackson's work is far from over - he now wants to export the dream around the world.

But if scenes like those in the US are to be repeated in the UK and the Midlands, there is plenty of work to be done.

Winnable seats

In fact, in the West Midlands region, there are only two non-white MPs out of 63 - and none of them are from Afro-Caribbean backgrounds.

Labour is leading the way with Khalid Mahmood (Birmingham Perry Barr) and Parmjit Dhanda (Gloucester), from non-white communities.

The other two main parties do not have any and with selections now made for most of the winnable seats at the next General Election it looks far from certain that the number will rise.

In fact, they could even fall.

Enoch Powell factor

Paul Uppal will be contesting the former Powell seat

Parmjit Dhanda is far from certain to retain Gloucester and Shabana Mahmood, who has been selected as the candidate for the rock-solid Labour seat of Birmingham Ladywood, is facing a challenge.

The Conservatives best hope is Paul Uppal in Enoch Powell's old seat in Wolverhampton South West.

Of Asian East African decent, Uppal is hoping to oust the Labour incumbent, Rob Marris.

The Liberal Democrats have selected a number of candidates, but have traditionally struggled to make a breakthrough in this region anyway.

Martyrs and marchers

From the dream to the reality

Following Obama's victory, Jackson, who also runs his own organisation called the RainbowPUSH Coalition, said he hoped it could inspire a new generation in the US.

"This is a profound and transformative moment in American history," he said.

"The martyrs and marchers worked to tear down the walls that kept us apart. Now Barack Obama has access to the bridge to bring us together."

Role model

Cllr Karen Hamilton has been selected to fight the Perry Barr seat for the Lib Dems at the next election and says Obama's victory has had an impact in local communities.

"So many people that I have spoken to have been encouraged by his victory," she said. "It has meant that I have had several political conversations with people who never seemed that interested in politics.

"His win has been inspiring and he is a great role model. I am sure that there are many people who would now look to a career in politics who might not have considered it seriously before."

All-black shortlists

Equanomics UK is now hoping to harness some of that energy for change.

"The convention aims to commemorate key leaders for equality and economic justice," its website states, "and recognise the new era of leadership after the election of Barack Obama."

But with so few ethnic minority candidates contesting winnable seats and the main political parties rejecting calls from groups like Operation Black Vote for legally problematic all-black shortlists, are things likely to change in the UK and the Midlands?

Our reporter Susana Mendonça has been finding out.

Also in the programme...

Industry turning green

Is the Midlands missing out on the chance to cash in on the new, potentially recession-busting green industries and the jobs that go with them?

The Green Party certainly thinks so - and they make an unfavourable comparison between the numbers working in these industries in Germany (around 250,000) with the number in this country (around 25,000).

Strip Tinning Automotive is a former MG Rover supplier in Birmingham which has already made the switch and is now supplying parts for solar panels.

Green industry

It is exactly the sort of story that the Greens hope can be repeated across the region.

"The West Midlands has a history of leading the way with industry," said Felicity Norman, Green Party candidate for the West Midlands at the European Election.

"The region is capable of leading Britain to become the green jobs capital of Europe, making the transition away from fossil fuels, creating thriving new industries and helping pull ourselves out of economic crisis at the same time," she added.

Job opportunities

There are also opportunities to cash in on the growing demand for wind turbine parts - where it is estimated that 130,000 new jobs could be created to meet our 2020 wind energy targets.

The UK recently announced it had become the world leader in off-shore wind generation, but most of the parts are currently manufactured overseas.

And with more than 1.5 million homes in the Midlands with unfilled cavity walls, there is also an opening in the market here.

Colin Pemberton has been finding out if the green economy offers a route out of the recession which is now upon us.

The Politics Show for the West Midlands, with Jon Sopel and Michael Collie, Sundays at 12:00 GMT on BBC One

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