Liberal Democrat Leader Tim Farron and President Sal Brinton have appointed Daisy Cooper as the party’s Candidate Diversity Champion, to drive forward and coordinate the party’s action plan to improve the diversity of its MPs. Daisy is quite a force of nature on anything she turns her hand to and she never asks other people to do things she hasn’t done herself. She is very good at recruiting candidates at all levels and actually wrote here about how to build more diverse council groups.
Tim Farron said:
I am committed to leading a parliamentary party out of the next election that is bigger and more diverse than the one I currently do. The party membership has backed using every method available to improve the diversity of MPs.
As a party fighting to build an open, tolerant and united Britain we have to look like the country we seek to serve. I am delighted that Daisy has agreed to drive our plans to improve our party’s diversity.
Party President Baroness Sal Brinton said:
The Liberal Democrats now have a positive plan to ensure that the party uses the diverse talents of our members. We are the first party to use all the options available under the Equality Act 2010, and our Conference voted for support to increase the representation of women, BAME, disabled and LGBTI+ party officers and candidates.
Daisy is passionate about creating equality for all and I’m delighted that she’ll be leading the action plan agreed by members, including an initiative to head-hunt candidates from under-represented groups.
Daisy Cooper said:
I’m delighted to take on this role and am determined to play my part in transforming the make-up of our MPs.
It is well-documented that candidates from under-represented groups face additional barriers to selection and election. Without the safe seats and money of the other big parties the bar is even higher for Liberal Democrat candidates, but as the only party fighting for an open, tolerant and united Britain we have a huge opportunity to build a party that truly reflects the face of modern Britain.
I encourage all those who support our vision to join us, and to stand up and serve or get behind those who do.
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4 Comments
Dear Sisters, Brothers, Colleagues and Friends,
In my opinion Daisy certainly possesses overt passion and a desire to create a fair, equal and just society and Party and I commend the Party for starting to acknowledge that it has a problem with regard to championing the recruitment, retention and progression of underrepresented groups within the Party.
I do hope though that Daisy not been put in place to act as another ‘gatekeeper’ and buffer that the established and democratically elected SAO’s have to go through to be heard?
I actually look forward to working with Daisy, as I have previously, but I will be deeply disturbed if the views of the Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats, any other SAO or AO, are somehow sidelined and watered down.
Along with others, I look forward to hearing what exactly the role of ‘Candidate Diversity Champion’ entails and how the Diversity Engagement Group Chaired by Baroness Ece and SAO/AO’s are to be involved.
Whilst waiting for these answers I look forward to recommencing fruitful talks with Daisy about how the Party can move from our current position being genuine reflective of society. As Baroness Brinton has mentioned the Equality Act 2010, I am hopeful that we as a Party will realise and exploit the benefits that can be gained by ‘Equality Impact Assessing’ our policies, procedures and practices which will highlight many of the conscious as well as the unconscious biases that exist at all levels of the Party.
Of course it must not be forgotten that the overall ‘Diversity Champion’ for our Party is our Leader who through their deeds and words will create the environment for change to happen for “if not now, when?”.
EMLD stands enthusiastically as usual offering its assistance as a genuine and equal partner in the development of ‘equality, fairness and justice’ whether this be at a local level or at the highest within the Party. We are more than ‘critical friends’, we are family, so please see as such.
Namaste
Yours sincerely
Ruwan
Ruwan Uduwerage-Perera
Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrat (EMLD) – Chair
This is good news & Daisy deserves all our support.
This appointment illustrates why we need champions for each individual protected characteristic rather than one person covering all.
I recognise that Daisy is very active and will stand up for diversity in all its aspects but surely the party also needs a champion for black and ethnic minorities. Just as many of us have argued for women representing women in that regard we must raise the profile of these minorities. I do hope Daisy pushes hard for increased membership from these groups using existing members to prove that we want to be a diverse and inclusive party. I also think we must grow membership from the working class and from social housing, again using the experience of existing members of those groups.