Skip to main contentAccess keys help

[an error occurred while processing this directive]
BBC News
watch One-Minute World News
News image
Last Updated: Thursday, 25 January 2007, 20:20 GMT
Plans to boost black Lib Dem MPs
Sir Menzies Campbell
Sir Menzies has said he wants more ethnic minority MPs
Plans to recruit more black and Asian Liberal Democrat members are being considered by the party.

Operation Black Vote (OBV), which campaigns to boost ethnic minority representation in politics, has presented proposals to the Lib Dems.

They say to attract more talent, the party must recruit from community centres, churches, and on the street.

The Lib Dems say action is needed because all of the party's 63 MPs are white and only nine are women.

The party's only ethnic minority MP in the last parliament, Parmjit Singh Gill, was defeated at the general election.

I want to encourage people who have not previously engaged in politics - join us, get selected and get elected
Sir Menzies Campbell

The party says it is "deadly serious" about making changes and making sure it reflects British society.

On Thursday, Sir Menzies Campbell hosted a reception for people from ethnic minority communities, to try to get them more involved with the Lib Dems.

Earlier he said: "Since being elected as Liberal Democrat leader, I have made a personal commitment to making my party more representative of the communities we serve.

"I want to encourage people who have not previously engaged in politics - join us, get selected and get elected."

Head of OBV Simon Woolley said the group was working with the Lib Dems to "help build an effective platform to gain more black and minority members".

He said they also wanted more black and Asian MPs and more confidence among minority communities to vote for them.

The party leadership is considering OBV's proposals - which say new members need to be nurtured, either in paid roles or in winnable Commons seats.

The Lib Dems are also promoting a new fund which offers cash incentives to local parties selecting either women or ethnic minorities as candidates.

But some local party members are reported to be uncomfortable with what they see as positive discrimination.


SEE ALSO
Ethnic voters 'turn to Lib Dems'
16 Sep 04 |  UK Politics
Labour 'facing minorities test'
19 Feb 05 |  UK Politics
Record number of new minority MPs
10 May 05 |  UK Politics

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS
Has China's housing bubble burst?
How the world's oldest clove tree defied an empire
Why Royal Ballet principal Sergei Polunin quit

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

AmericasAfricaEuropeMiddle EastSouth AsiaAsia Pacific