Quotes from Chuka Umunna

We have a really rich and diverse heritage in my family - but I sometimes felt it was a bit of a chain round my neck in the Labour party if truth be told.

Our differences needn't divide us, but unity takes work.

I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at a conference; it was very flattering but it made me cringe slightly.

When a Conservative government is presiding over unfair cuts to tax credits, chaos in the NHS and an unnecessary and ideological attack on trade union rights, it is natural that many in the Labour party should be sceptical of Tory talk on devolution - sceptical, even of government deals with Labour-led local authorities.

My father was a rags-to-riches businessman who came over in the Sixties with no money. On my mother's side, I am the grandson of a High Court judge and celebrated intelligence officer, so it's quite an unusual combination.

My dad was this pint-sized Nigerian with an oversized personality. My mother is a tall six foot something Irish-English woman. Us walking down the street was quite an unusual sight, when I was growing up.

My stock answer when people ask 'Are you Britain's Barack Obama?' is 'I'm quite happy being Streatham's Chuka Umunna,' and I really mean that.

Labour is the party of internationalism and openness.

With Tory privatisations in the past we've seen how service users can end up losing out and getting a raw deal.

We want to see more sources of alternative finance, from innovations in factoring such as MarketInvoice or in peer-to-peer lending such as Funding Circle which Labour local authorities are now using to support and invest in local businesses.

We must never forget the value of work because without it people are denied a sense of dignity and of community.

Screaming 'you're wrong' at the electorate is not a good strategy for a party seeking to win back its trust.

In an age of globalisation, investment and good jobs increasingly flow to cities and regions with distinctive strengths and specialisms. These cannot be built up from Whitehall. They require local expertise, knowledge and dedication.

I wasn't born into one of the two main parties, but both my parents had a strong sense of social justice.

Green growth is one vehicle through which technology, globalisation and environmental challenges can be turned from obstacles to solutions for problems related to growth, jobs and competitiveness.

I've never bought the argument that people are apathetic about politics.

My father, when he arrived in this country found it difficult.

The reason I have been so outspoken on antisemitism is that racism is racism - and my family have been victims of it.

You cannot duck the difficult issues in the middle of an election campaign.

Comparing every black male politician on the scene to Obama is a bit lazy - just because I'm from a similar background and profession, it's such an easy comparison to make. It's also quite annoying being viewed through the prism of someone else's personality and identity, rather than your own.

To be concerned about immigration and the economy is not racist, but I do think there is a virus of racism that runs through Ukip.