World Bulletin / News Desk

A leading black Labour party politician in the UK, Chuka Umunna, has accused Britain's film and television industriy of stereotyping black people, thus forcing British born black actors to search for roles outside the country.

Umunna, the Shadow Business Secretary, said there were no strong roles for black actors in Britain. Quoted by the Independent newspaper, Umunna sai, "One of the reasons is because our broadcast and film media have a tendency to stereotype black people: to present an image of black British people that suggests we can succeed in sport, entertainment and music, but not necessarily in other fields...too many in the British film and television industries simply don't cast black British actors in certain roles that fall outside those stereotypes."

According to the Creative Skillset Employment Census, the number of people from ethnic minorities working in the British creative industries is decreasing from 12% in 2009 to just 5.3% in 2012.

The lack of opportunities of inspirational roles for black actors has forced a number of talented black actors to leave the UK for Hollywood, where there is a greater variety of roles for black actors. Many of them have complained that the British film industry limits them.