A new awards ceremony designed to promote the achievements of the region’s minority ethnic communities was launched today – with words of support from the Prime Minister.

The West Midlands Minority Ethnic Achievement Awards will champion minority ethnic talent from across, Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. Categories range from business and social enterprise to awards for community involvement and social justice.

The event is being organised by local equalities charity brap and follows the success of similar events in Scotland and the North East. Like those events, the ceremony will be broadcast on Sony TV.

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown said: "These awards are an excellent opportunity to celebrate and promote excellence in our communities. By celebrating our successes we not only recognise the dedication and generosity of others, but by focusing on what we have achieved we remind ourselves that change is possible.

"I am committed to ensuring stronger communities; communities that will help our country come through these difficult times faster and stronger. The winners of these awards will be an inspiration to everyone trying to build a fairer society."

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Following comments made by Harriet Harman that "men cannot be trusted to run things on their own" and that “men-only leaderships” are a “thoroughly bad thing”, Asif Afridi, Deputy CEO of brap, said:

"Although undoubtedly well-meaning, Harriet Harman’s comments miss the point.

"Men-only leaderships may be a bad thing, but only if they are indicative of unfair and discriminatory recruitment or election processes. Addressing that imbalance can only take us so far though. From our experience of working with public, private and third sector organisations, we know that making decision making processes more ‘representative’ does not necessarily ensure more equitable decisions will be made by elected members.

"We need to recognise that an understanding and appreciation of equality is a skill that has to be developed – it’s not something that automatically comes from being a particular sex. We all know women are just as capable of making unfair decisions as men: after all, many within the Labour party spent years campaigning against the inequitable policies of Margaret Thatcher.

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Commenting on a new report that shows many professions are inaccessible to those from less affluent backgrounds, Joy Warmington, CEO of brap, said:

“This report is welcome and long overdue.

“It acknowledges what brap has been saying for many years – that discrimination and disadvantage is often a result of socio-economic factors and not just ‘race’. In a city where white working class boys are as likely to academically underachieve as poor black boys, it’s clear that wasted talent and potential is not restricted to particular ethnic groups.

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