F10: After Alderdice - Delivering Race Equality in the Liberal Democrats

Submitted by Federal Board

Mover: Dinesh Dhamija | Summator: Baroness Brinton

Conference notes:

1. The Alderdice Review published in January 2018 proposed that the Liberal Democrats review how they can improve, deliver and monitor representation of ethnic minority members throughout the party.
2. Each Federal Committee has discussed and is implementing a plan following the Alderdice Report to ensure that we do embed race equality in our actions, and a roundtable of a range of stakeholders, is addressing how we can mainstream race equality throughout the wider party.
3. The re-branding of Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats into the Liberal Democrat Campaign for Race Equality (LDCRE).
4. The success and continuing work of the Campaign for Gender Balance.
5. There are currently three Vice Presidents of the party, who are the Chairs/Convenors of the English, Welsh and Scottish Parties.

RDC

1. Following the Alderdice Review, the Federal Board has agreed to set up a campaign group to promote, train, support and mentor BaME members who wish to stand for elected office, which will be called Racial Diversity Campaign (RDC).
2. Its principal aims are to increase the number of ethnic minority MPs, Members of the Scottish and European Parliaments, Assembly Members and senior local government elected roles such as Police and Crime Commissioners and elected Mayors. It would also work alongside ALDC to increase the number of ethnic minority Councillors and Council Leaders.
3. The purpose of the group is to provide this specific support and the officers of the group (chair and vice chairs) will be experienced in training and mentoring and have a deep knowledge of the party's processes for candidates, from assessment through to fighting a target seat.
4. The arrangements for this group will mirror the Campaign for Gender Balance, which was set up in 2002 under the auspices of the Federal Executive Committee.
5. As with other party posts reporting to the Board, the Chair and up to two Vice Chairs vacancies will be advertised to the membership, and must be nominated by two members of the Federal Board. The voting members of the Federal Board will then vote for the candidates for Chair/Vice Chairs. The Chair and Vice Chairs terms of office will automatically terminate when there are Federal Committee elections, and fresh elections held for these posts by the incoming new Federal Board. Casual vacancies will be elected as required.

Vice President BaME

1. The Federal Board shall elect a Vice President BaME (VP BaME) from amongst the membership of the party.
2. The VP BaME will act as a senior party ambassador, working closely with Federal and state parties, and will be a non-voting member of the Federal Board. They will work closely with the Party's Equalities Spokesperson to ensure that different BaME communities' interests are represented, highlight issues, engage ethnic minority voters.
3. They will work closely with LDCRE to reach out to different BaME communities to enthuse them about Liberal Democracy and attract them to become members.
4. The Vice President BaME vacancy will be advertised to the membership, and must be nominated by 10 party members or a Local Party. The voting members of the Federal Board will then interview and vote for the candidates. The Vice President BaME will be a three year term to coincide with the Federal terms of election. Two terms will be the limit for holding the position. Casual vacancies will be elected until the end of the Federal election term.

Applicability: Federal.