Diversity and politics…let’s ‘get real’…

The recent surge in support for the Liberal Democrats is the story of the election campaign. However, as we approach the final furlong of this three horse race, can they seriously represent the cosmopolitan UK population? Among the 63 Lib Dem MPs in the last Parliament there aren’t any Black or Asian faces to represent the estimated 10% of people who live and work in the UK and come from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities.

It can be patronising to see campaign materials where ethnic minorities are dubbed ‘the changing face of Britain’. Ethnic minority groups already make up around 30% of London’s population – but these are voters that political parties are only just waking up to. Political parties are in serious danger of alienating the ethnic minority electorate by not being representative of the diversity in our nation.

The Labour Party launched its BAME manifesto a few days ago. This outlines their policies for the BME vote in over 100 constituencies across the country and could be pivotal in determining the outcome. There has been little noise about this and other party attempts to reach BME audiences. There are constituencies such as Brent Central, where the ethnic population makes up over 50% of the total, in which parties are fielding candidates whose ethnicity reflects their community. In others, there is a drastic imbalance that needs to be addressed.

At present, there are just 15 MPs in the House of Commons, split among Labour and the Conservatives, and around 30 peers in the Lords from BME backgrounds. If politics were representative of our diverse society then this figure should be closer to 60 MP’s in the Commons, and 70 Peers in the Lords. Ethnic minorities are a key part of the decision making process, and equality and diversity just aren’t reflected in UK party politics.

Trevor Phillips believes BME people are disadvantaged because “the parties and the unions and the think-tanks are all very happy to sign up to the general idea of advocating the cause of minorities but in practice they would like somebody else to do the business. It’s institutional racism.” The Daily Telegraph, 2008

I wouldn’t go as far as this. But I would say that despite the rise of Barack Obama across the pond, the likelihood of a British Prime Minister, or even a party leader, from a BME background is small.

In a sense Gordon Brown was right. Nick Clegg should ‘get real’ - but on the issue of representing our BME communities in Parliament, all the main parties need to do more ahead of the next election if they want to win over the growing and influential 10% ethnic population of the UK. Otherwise ethnic minorities may start to believe they just don’t matter.

Priya Shah, Consultant, Linstock Communications
http://www.linstockcommunications.com/