You, as Liberal Democrat members, have asked me for a diverse, inclusive party that represents all sections of all our communities well.

I am standing to be your Vice President for minority communities to promote inclusion and to eliminate racism and other discrimination from inside our party, to inspire more and more candidates from under-represented groups to stand and to inspire all of us to engage on a sustained and substantive basis with all of the UK’s communities so that we eliminate exclusion and disadvantage.

I successfully campaigned for an inquiry, the Alderdice Inquiry, to take place and was involved with bringing those with evidence of racism to the inquiry. I will not only see that its findings are implemented, but also will work to ensure that we have a diverse party. Since it was completed my attention has continued to be on the grassroots of the Liberal Democrats. Few if any understand these issues in such detail.

I am your “Mastermind” special subject candidate on racism in the Liberal Democrats and I will work to dismantle it in a liberal way, for racism is not liberal.

I have worked: in scientific research and IT in industry and academia, in changing a blue-chip company’s working culture throughout its global supply chain to deliver measurable benefit, as a leading councillor in England’s then fastest improving council, for the NHS on equalities and inclusion and on governance: in education including higher education, the Liberal Democrats, charitable trusts, NHS governance and democratic accountability, economic development and regeneration and on public policy development in health, regeneration, the regional economy and other related fields. My dad was involved with the civil rights movement in the US and my mum’s family with the Indian Independence movement. We all work for major change. I was brought up in London and have lived in London, South Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, Paris, a provincial French city and a sparsely populated part of rural France. I spent much of my teenage school holidays accompanying extended family members who travelled for work in South Asia and have friends all over the UK.

My dad was involved with the civil rights movement in the US and my mum’s family with the Indian Independence movement. We all work for major change. I was brought up in London and have lived in London, South Cambridgeshire, Cambridge, Paris, a provincial French city and a sparsely populated part of rural France. I spent much of my teenage school holidays accompanying extended family members who travelled for work in South Asia and have friends all over the UK.

For 8 years, I was a leading local councillor in one of the most diverse Liberal Democrat-run local authorities. I am successful both in inspiring candidates from under-represented groups and have been remunerated to engage with diverse communities both for local government and the National Health Service.

I was recruited to an NHS Trust Board to address exactly these sorts of issues, a role which few have held in general let alone in the Liberal Democrats, where we are so much in need of culture change.

This is the only political party I have been involved with and I have held many, many different roles within the party over decades.

If you want to tackle racism inside our organisation to make it more diverse, whether institutional or individual, because that’s just not liberal, give me your first preference vote.

Thank you for your attention.

Your vote matters and is a Vote for Hope, Action and Transformation.

From when I arrived in London as a teenager, Sir John Major was Prime Minister and I felt a connection with the city. Firstly at university, and later whilst living in Islington, my political views formed and I joined the Liberal Democrats.

Recently I was honoured to be elected as your London Regional Diversity Champion. With considerable success I helped increase participation and engagement within our inclusion and diversity teams. In 2020 I founded the national BLACK Liberal Democrats with the mission to make heard the voice of Black members within the Party.

Making the Party relevant to the UK’s diverse groups of voters will be key to any Liberal Democratic success and will unlock our future.

I will call out injustice and celebrate success as I find them. I will help build our Party back.
I guarantee to make our Party better reflect the diversity and inclusion of the communities we serve.
I will empower our members to fully participate in the setting of our regional agendas. I will encourage a participatory approach to decision making and foster a shared ownership of decisions. I will use patience and understanding when working with people from diverse communites, age groups, ethnicity and nationalities.
And not forget the needs of young adults and marginalized communities.

I care deeply about our unique and diverse communities and will continue to work tirelessly for the well-being of society. We are surrounded by local, regional and global change. Our work-ethics and life-styles are rapidly changing. I will bring our LibDem values to the fore when campaigning and raise awareness of what we stand for.
Following COP26, what is needed is meaningful engagement with our communities through which we can empower and build more inclusive Britain, a caring Britian fit for the 21st Century, in a safe and sustainable world.
So my vision for London is a place based on a thriving and sustainable economy, where the air is fit to breathe, a place driven by green innovation, where every child, man and woman reaches their full potential.

I believe London can maintain a global presence, founded on circular and carbon economies made widely available through our expertise in, and access to, green finance.
In this country I believe a silent majority has for too long been ignored. Taken for granted. Let us give these people a voice. Let us once again be the voice of the people. Of all the people. Promoting inclusion is everyone’s responsibility. Together we can make a difference.
It is vital we truly reflect and understand the needs of our region. I can be that agent of change and with your support, advance the understanding of what we, the Liberal Democrats, represent. And gain electoral success.
I ask for your first preference vote.

Together reclaim the future. Together Achieves More.
Vote me as your First Preference.

Our campaign has already got off to a flying start in the by-election caused by Owen Paterson’s disgrace.

The local party had already made impressive progress in this May’s local elections. They secured a clear second place and created many marginal Conservative-Liberal Democrat wards.

Now we have a brilliant opportunity to turbo-charge that growth in our support and to see just how angry voters are about sleaze and sewage. Ed Davey is already on his third visit there.

Whether it’s by helping in person, on the phones or with your wallet, please do help too. You can donate online or sign up to volunteer. Thank you!

Thank you also to Simone Reynolds and Simon Drage, respectively our candidate and agent for the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election. More details here.

Have your say in how the party is run

There are two musts for how our party is run. It must be run in a way that is true to our values, and it must be run in a way that helps us work together to be successful.

Sadly, our 2019 General Election Review (the Thornhill Review) found major flaws in how the party operated. That cost us votes and seats.

Since its publication, the Federal Party has been making many changes in response, as I’ve covered in previous reports. But there is still important work to do.

One of the Review’s key findings was about the Federal Board itself:

There is no clear ‘leadership team’ where the three pillars of the party – political, operational, federal – can make cohesive decisions, simply, quickly, and effectively. The Federal Board – 40+ members – is not, cannot, and should not be that team.

So the Board is consulting on options for Board reform, and will put one or more to Spring Conference for members to make a decision.

As part of this we are running a consultation survey. Please do give your views via the consultation survey here.

You can also read this summary of our current arrangements.

The survey will close on Wednesday 8th December 2021.

Why we must stand more candidates in council elections

Earlier this month I wrote for the party website about the importance of increasing the number of council elections we contest: “The merits of standing in a council by-election we have a chance of winning are obvious. So too for wards which we might hope to win in the future and where the by-election is a chance to accelerate that progress. But there are also huge benefits in standing even in wards that we are not likely to win for a very long time yet (if ever).”

You can find out what those benefits are in my full piece here.

Voting underway for Vice President

Voting is open in the election for our Vice President responsible for working with ethnic minority communities. If you’ve not yet received a ballot either by email or post, please email elections@libdems.org.uk and the team will be happy to help.

The six candidates manifestos are on the party website, along with details of the hustings.

Members have until noon on Friday 10th December to vote.

The Liberal Democrats have always understood that thriving businesses and motivated entrepreneurs are central to our communities, innovation, quality of life and international standing we all want.

It was the Liberal Democrats who pioneered wind power generation, foresaw the banking crisis, and are today prepared to work to rebuild the trading environment damaged by Brexit and the pandemic. 

LDBN are a community of likeminded business people who know the Lib Dems are the natural political home for business. We support the party with our fees, our expertise and our insights into the practical challenges facing businesses today.

Membership of LDBN ranges from £2,500 to £25 per year, with member packages tailored to all stages in your career. 

Being a member gives you access to special events, insider briefings on our campaigns and the chance to join discussions on issues that affect the future of our economy.

We hope you will join us and become an LDBN member today.

Join LDBEN!

Will you help us grow LDBN even further by sending this message to your friends and family, and encourage them to join too? 

Thank you. 

Voting opened today in the election for our first ever Vice President responsible for working with ethnic minority communities. Over the next few days, members will receive an email or letter advising them of how to vote for the candidate of their choice and members have until 1200 on Friday December 10th.

You can read the manifestos the candidates have produced for the election here:

Amna Ahmad.

Roderick Lynch.

Tahir Maher.

Julliet Makhapila.

Rabi Martins.

Marisha Ray.

*Candidates appear here in alphabetical order by surname.