Shapurji Saklatvala, the Labour firebrand who fought for racial equality in the 1920s

MPs of colour have held seats in the Commons since 1767, writes Kim Sengupta. Those battling for equality today owe much to the pioneers who challenged the establishment – often at great cost to themselves

Saklatvala addresses the Six Processions meeting on ‘Unemployment Sunday’ in Trafalgar Square, London (PA)

At the start of this century the House of Commons had 12 MPs from ethnic minority backgrounds. This had increased to 41 after the 2015 election, and currently stands at 65 across the main parties in Westminster.  As the protests last summer, against prevailing racism in society as well as the legacy of slavery and imperialism, showed, injustice and discrimination, or the anger it sparks, is still very much with us. And as the campaign for equality looks to the future, there is increased interest in those who had fought for equality in the past through the democratic mandate – often at great cost to themselves.

MPs from non-white minority backgrounds were present in the Commons long before communities from the Empire moved here in numbers, some of them achieving positions denied to them in the countries of their birth by the colonial rulers.