As part of the implementation of the Alderdice Report which aims to remove the barriers to participation in the party by members of BAME communities, the Party is looking to appoint a Vice President BAME.

They’ve advertised the role and the details of what it entails and how to apply are below:

The Vice President BaME will be a party ambassador and senior Board officer. They will work with various Federal and State bodies responsible for delivering diverse representation both internally and externally. These include Candidates Committees, the Candidates & Diversity Office and the Diversity Committee of the Federal People Development Committee.

The VP-BaME would also support the Racial Diversity Campaign (RDC) and Lib Dem Campaign for Racial Equality (LDCRE) in their work to promote more BaME representation both in internal party structures and externally in local, regional and parliamentary elections.

The VP-BaME will work closely with the Party’s Equalities Spokesperson to ensure that different BaME communities’ interests are represented, to highlight issues, engage ethnic minority voters and campaign for a better deal for them.

They will work with LDCRE to reach out to BaME communities, to enthuse them about the Lib Dems and attract them to become members and activists.  They will champion inclusion, and work with these recruits to help them empower each other and gain the knowledge and skills they need to be meaningfully involved.

The VP-BaME will listen to BaME communities’ views and work to ensure that they are reflected in Liberal Democrat policy making.

The VP-BaME would be a non-voting member of the following committees:

• Federal Board
• FPDC (and the right to attend the sub committees of FPDC)
• Executive of RDC
• Executive of LDCRE
• Joint States Candidates Committee
• the English, Welsh and Scottish Executive Committees

The successful candidate will be elected to serve until 31 December 2019 on a ‘casual vacancy’ basis. Fresh elections (for a number of posts including this) for a full three-year term will be held after the new Federal Board meets early in 2020.

Applicants for the role of VP-BaME must be nominated by 10 party members or a local party.  You should send your nomination to the Party Governance Officer: [email protected]

The deadline for receipt of nominations is midday Monday 21st January. If successfully nominated, you will be invited to attend the Federal Board meeting at 6pm, Monday 28th January.