As we near the middle of Black History Month Ed Davey Alex Cole-Hamilton and Jane Dodds have all made statements which LDV reproduces in full or part below.

In the UK we use October to highlight and amplify the amazing contributions black people have made in the UK and around the world, to spotlight the struggles and oppression they have faced throughout history and the impact these had and continue to have on black communities. Most importantly it is a time we should remember and commit to continuing to support black communities including making our party and our politics more diverse.

Ed Davey writes:-

“October is Black History Month – a time to celebrate the Black British community, recognise their contributions and discover their stories. We owe a great debt to the Black pioneers who have transformed our society’s cultural and political landscapes.
{…} So we will keep campaigning to abolish the Conservatives’ cruel and discriminatory Hostile Environment, and end the disproportionate use of Stop and Search.  And we will keep working to combat racism – whether conscious or unconscious, individual or institutional – wherever we find it. As we honour the legacy of the Windrush generation and the countless others Black pioneers who helped shape our country, we owe it to them to stand up to bigotry, hate and injustice. I hope you will join me in this fight for equality.”

Full text here

Leader of the Welsh Lib Dems, Jane Dodds MS, writes:-

October is Black History Month – a time to celebrate the Black Welsh community, recognise their contributions and discover their stories. We as a nation owe a great deal to the many Black pioneers who have contributed so greatly to the cultural and political landscape of Wales. […] Here in Wales, last September we saw the unveiling of a monument to honour Betty Campbell, Wales’ first black head teacher and black history campaigner, who was of course instrumental in the founding of Black History Month.
[…]In Wales we have also seen our new national education curriculum introduced. The curriculum recognises that Black history is Welsh history […]. It is a source of great pride the Welsh Liberal Democrats were able to make that happen.
Sadly, despite the progress made, there remains a huge deal of work to be done to make society both in Wales and the UK as a whole a society without prejudice, injustice and bigotry.”

Full text here

Finally our Leader in Scotland Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP contributes his own thoughts on the significance of Black History Month:

“Black history month isn’t just another ribbon to wear or a mark in the calendar. It’s a time for global atonement, for the recognition of the many harms done to people of colour through the ages. As well as that solemn reflection it’s a time for celebration of the contribution made by black people in science, art, culture and politics and that contribution is massive.”

Please feel free to share the work you’ve been doing to celebrate and commemorate black people and black communities in your area in the comments.

You can find out more about Black History Month, Black History and events and activites happening to celebrate it on the Black History Month Website Black History Month 2022 – Time for Change: Action Not Words.

* Charley joined the Lib Dems in 2010, has stood in Local elections in Stoke on Trent and London and was PPC for Eltham in the 2019 General Election and a GLA list candidate in 2021. They have been a Youth Worker, Early Years Teaching Assistant and FE College Governor. They are currently an Emergency Services Worker in London and Chair of LGBT+ Lib Dems.