Hail and farewell!
It is over ten years ago that I was generously invited by C.B.Patel to write a regular column for Asian Voice in exchange for absolutely no remuneration at all but as part of a dialogue between many of my south Asian friends and constituents and myself.
I’d originally wanted to call the piece “Through Western eyes” but the Great Editor insisted that there should be no theme but rather a series of snapshots illustrating the interchanges between my constituents and I.
Over the years and in scores of columns I have chronicled the emerging global super colossus that is modern India and shared with AV readers my impressions of the numerous community events that I have been honoured to attend.
You were there when I first met Narenda Modi and you were watching on as Arjan Vekaria presented me with my cherished Kutchi puggaree. It was you who turned away in horror as I first attempted the dandia ras and you chuckled from a distance as the full extent of holi was made apparent to me as I disappeared under an iridescent cloud of dazzling colour.
We shared the impact of the Mumbai bombings and walked together in Jammu and Kashmir. We delighted in the achievements of great sons of south Asia such as Lord Gulam Noon and both breathed in the peaceful scented air of Bakdivedanta Manor. In the wise and philosophical company of my guru and guide, Vikas Pota, I have wandered wide from Chennai to Mumbai and to Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore more times than I would have believed possible.
Throughout this journey you, the readers of Asian Voice, have been my travelling companions and when I have experienced satori/enlightenment on the pilgrim way I have shared it with you.
The original team of Gareth Thomas, Tony McNulty, Barry Gardiner and I have all travelled far since those days when our proudest achievements were to be columnists for AV.
Tony has left the House and is, I hear, working on at least one earth shattering book. Gareth is now a Shadow Minister where once he was the more substantial item and Barry has taken his turn as Chair of Labour Friends of India.
Since my own appointment as Shadow Northern Ireland Minister I have found my writings for Asian Voice being severely circumscribed.
Clearly any comments that I may make about terrorism in the Indian context can be seen as having Northern Irish significance so I have been told to avoid any subject which is capable of such interpretation.
Now I could do as some Parliamentarians do and simply reheat a party press release and slip it out in pretence of original thought but I think that this would soon be seen through and I wince at what words Bhupendra Gandhi would aim at me should such a ploy be detected.
I could devote all my writings to a subject that never ceases to delight and which has certainly given me more pleasure than almost any other – Indian cricket – but AV has a superb sports team and you really don’t need one more person to tell you that India currently has a batting line up of such stellar quality to stand comparison with the West Indian pace attack of the late 1970s as approaching perfection.
But enough of this – I must take my leave of Asian Voice while I have rather grim and serious responsibilities over the water and where words can be dangerously misinterpreted. It is, I hope, au revoir, and that I am able to return one day.
Until then – thank you for your patience and forbearance, for your kind words and sound advice and, above all, from showing in India how a peaceful and prosperous democracy can rise and thrive while setting an example to the word.
Thank you Asian Voice, thank you India.
Steve invited up and coming Labour MP Chuka Umunna to be the guest speaker at Ealing North Labour’s annual dinner on 12th January. He is the Shadow secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable’s opposite number, though he has a keen ambition to be in his shoes (political shoes and not dancing shoes).
Chuka praised the Parliamentary Labour Party for the work it was doing behind the scenes to move the government into a more caring position and that many of the decisions they are making were originally Labour suggestions. He said that there was much to be done to help small businesses to get moving in the economy as it is and that he was making every effort to do that. He also 
praised Steve for being one of the only MP’s to make him feel at ease in Westminster since he arrived there 18 months ago.
The Dinner was held at Enterprise Lodge in Perivale and was also attended by MP’s from adjacent constituencies and the leader of Ealing council amongst other supporters.
