Libdems move to support ethnic shortlists
This is interesting, the Liberal democrat leader has moved to support Keith Vaz’s proposal that parliament should introduce ethnic minority shortlists to boost the number of ethnic minorities in parliament. Women already have that provision to deal with their under-representation.
“We need urgent action to tackle the woeful under-representation of Britain’s ethnic minorities in Parliament. All political parties are letting Britain down. If we want to represent modern Britain, modern Britain must be represented in us. Legislating to allow all-minority shortlists is a crucial step, which should be used as a backstop to force parties to act now. We can no longer tolerate a political system that does not represent Britain as a whole.
The Liberal Democrats have taken a number of steps to boost ethnic representation in our ranks: the creation of a diversity fund; the employment of dedicated staff to increase candidate diversity; and plans to establish a Leadership Academy to give targeted assistance to candidates. But we need to go further, faster. That is why I believe, if existing and planned resources fail to make the difference in the coming years, the Liberal Democrats will be duty bound to consider using the powers in this proposed Bill.”
… says the press release. Now I’m quite ambivalent about this because my worry is that the shortlists will push crappy first-generation unclejis who want to get on the political gravy train without much experience in local activism or helping people. Of course, it goes without saying that most politicians are quite mediocre these days so it may be no great loss.
The Libdems themselves have made lots of noise in the past about having the party itself being more representative of the population but this has gone nowhere, apart from this ‘diversity fund’ that seems to have had little impact.
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Filed in: Current affairs, Party politics
Interesting, I wonder what the Tory party response will be?
“…crappy first-generation unclejis who want to get on the political gravy train without much experience in local activism or helping people” ???
I’d bet that actually rather than selecting people who have actually had significant life/work experience, successfully negotiated immigration and and built communities in this country – these “ethnic” shortlists will comprise of young faceless politicos who frankly have done little except be groomed for office purely on the basis of their skin colour.
i think any first generation uncleji probably has more experience helping people and familiarity with the concept of khedmat than their pretentiously strung out wannabe diasporaspawn.
Shooting feet all over the place. What a pointless bunch of cunts.*
*I may be very, very drunk. In which case don’t ask me to explain myself until tomorrow.
Wouldn’t it be nice if people stopped talking about ethnic shortlist and female shortlists and appointed people solely on merit instead of artificially manipulating the system? What if the applicants from minority groups aren’t as good as other applicants?
Say goodbye to a meritocracy.
http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com
When have we ever lived in a meritocracy Letters?
Yes, but who shortlists the Shortlisters? Eh? Thats what I want to know (sorry, couldn’t resist).
Funny how under our current meritocracy it’s mostly the white men who get picked, eh, Letters?
I was going to say the same. A meritocracy? Dominated by Etonians and others who are willing to keep themselves quiet to go up the greasy pole? I somehow doubt it.