Sunday, September 14, 2008

Just How Diverse Are the Liberal Democrats?

I have braved the conference hall to listen to a Q and A session with Steve Richards and Nick Clegg. At the moment I am listening to Simon Hughes speak at the tail end of a debate on pensions. Interestingly, not a single person clapped him as he walked on to the stage. It was rather sad really.

Looking round the conference hall, it's interesting to look at the demographics. This is the seventh LibDem conference I have been to and I have to say they seem to have a wider age range than in previous years. There are a lot of young people here. Like Tory conferences, they have fewer 30-50 year olds, but that's what happens when you run a conference largely on weekdays.

There is a But coming. But for a party which prides itself in its policies on ethnic diversity, it is astonishing how few black and ethnic minority delegates are present at this conference. Indeed, I would say there are proportionately fewer here than at a Tory conference. I said this last time I came to a LibDem conference two years ago. Little seems to have changed. Some might say, so what? You can't force people to become party activists, but if you are constantly promoting your party as minority-friendly, you do actually need to provide some evidence of it.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

The LD's are a dying party really, they will be like the dead parrot Mrs T reffered to back in about 1990! Indeed I am sure the LD's have Dead Parrot ringing in there ears if media reports of 2/3rds of their MP's in England are due to become one!

A couple of turkey's will be included with the dead parrots though, arise Nick Clegg and Chris Huhne: It's time for you to get stuffed and basted! I have no doubt Newsnight will provide the Paxo!!!

AndyR said...

At the risk of stereotyping, perhaps "minorities" don't get so much enjoyment as those of us who have lived here longer, out of belonging to organisations with no power and no earthly prospect of it in the future.

If you're in a minority, you're probably already well aware of how it feels to be powerless. Why would you want to make a career out of it?

Victor, NW Kent said...

I am sure that I pointed out on this blog, a year or so back, that the LibDems have no MP who is not white.

They are an all-inclusive party - for white people - and to claim otherwise is hypocrisy and flies in the face of fact.

They are also the party of high taxes or low taxes as time goes by; the party that promised an EU Referendum but which abstained from the debate.

Anoneumouse said...

minority-friendly

The majority in attendance at the conference are Liberal Democrats, how much of a minority do you wish to get?

Anonymous said...

you tend to find organised minority groups suck up to parties that hold power and give them returns.
In such a contest no one can compete with the way the Labour party bends over backwards to accommodate the needs of everyone except the white male working poor.

We have some of the smarter minority based groups sniffing around the Tories, because they scent power is gravitating that way.

Anonymous said...

The Lib Dems do have genuine, kind people amongst them who are minority-friendly, although as they are increasingly aware, they do have room for improvement.

Many problems are widely documented elsewhere, but one aspect of this debate which often gets little attention is how black and minority ethnic members are treated when they do not readily fit a stereotype.

Some people in the Party, even well meaning ones, assume you will
need "help" in areas you don't (which does suggest a kindness of spirit, of sorts), but then don't listen when you say you need extra consideration for something else (which they haven't themselves thought of first).

These people also may feel threatened if you show evidence of a competency in an area in which they consider themselves to be King of the Castle/Queen Bee in the local area. This kind of petty rivalvy may exist in other parties, I don't know, but I would have thought that knowledge should be embraced as adding to the strength of a group, rather than feared. One specific example is Home Office research I referred to on a crim justice matter which another member, supposedly leading on these issues, had never heard of. Everything I said was ignored as if I didn't exist.

This is then justified on the basis that the electorate have prejudices, such as they will accept BME candidates whom they can readily identify with. Accordingly, as a candidate you have to be packaged acceptably and the fact that you are postgrad educated and no other active Lib Dems in your constituency area are is something we will omit and, instead, focus on other aspects of your life experience. To help you get elected, of course.

Man in a Shed said...

It doesn't matter.

Maybe some of the other ethnic groups in the UK are less gullible than white Gurdianistas ?

The question about the Lib Dem conference is why is anyone there ?

Anonymous said...

"Some might say, so what?"

Is Ed Balls there too?

Unknown said...

It's a little unfair I think. Most of the libdem support is in parts of the country that don't have many minorities. I've always lived in the south west, it has changed recently, but it used to be that I'd be surprised to see one black person in a month of walking through town every day.

Anonymous said...

hi iain, maybe don't post my previous comment if you think it best. i noticed you haven't yet. i already have a couple of people not very happy with me.

Catosays said...

What? Simon Hughes not getting the clap he deserves?
Shorly shum mishtake!

Anonymous said...

Excellent point Iain. Ethnic minorities are as aware as anyone else that the Liberal Democrats are an opportunistic joke. With MPs like Evan Harris one can hardly be shocked . Abortion is not permitted in the majority of faiths,especially mulim. Why would ethnic minorities be interested in a party which does not espose our values?

Anonymous said...

got enough homosexuals do you think Iain?

Anonymous said...

You are implicitly demanding quotas and positive discrimination.
If people, ethnic minority or otherwise, want to join the Lib Dems, let them. If they don't, fine.
Quotas are wrong, and in enforcing them, you end up with the staggering incompetence of the likes of Blair's Babes.
Maybe, if you got out of Londonistan a bit more, you might not be so obsessed with the numbers of ethic minorities in the various conferences - a matter of stupendous indifference to the non-chatterati.

Anonymous said...

What makes anyone think the LibDems are a 'tolerant' bunch?

Totalitarian in their wish to push their own prejudices on us I would say.

weggis said...

How does this compare to the Green and UKIP conferences?

Anonymous said...

But why would you expect to see more than a minority attendance of minorities?

Are you saying the LibDems should have more minorities at it's annual meet than the proportion that exists within English (UK) society?

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Simon Hughes could black up and do a comic turn as the only gay Black and White Minstrel in Bournemouth? He might even get a round of applause.

Anonymous said...

I thoroughly enjoyed the conference and some of the catering taff were definitely of the minority persuasion. As was the cleaner at my hotel... I think that proves itt...

weggis said...

Come on Dale, you gotta blog this.

Anonymous said...

They are very deiverse, I know of at least three types; those that blame Labour that they lose, those that blame the Torys that they lose and those that blame other LibDems.

Newmania said...

Interesting Iain , Liberals are geographically and socio economically separated from most immigration , in fact most of post 1950s Britain. In Islington we had a laudably diverse Conservative Party . Perhaps I have been lucky but I cannot recall ever once hearing a racist sentiment expressed by any Conservative I have ever met. The sad old songs sung by the likes of Recess Monkey bewilder me


PSI have to mention that listening to Nick Clegg on tax is some of the most absurd opportunistic (to the point of insulting your intelligence) guff I have ever guffawed at. Guido has a report from the Libs showing they are deep trouble electorally


PPS I keep hearing rumours hereabouts that Norman baker is not standing at the next election and will be off to some Euro sinecure . Anyone know any more ?

Anonymous said...

Do the LibDems have much urban support?

If not, the shortage of visible minorities can be easily explained.

Chris Paul said...

Why do you think they promote diversity Iain? They are exceptionally bad at it. And at all levels at that.

They talk the talk but do not walk the walk. Few women MPs and councillors. Few BME anythings. And a history of crass communalism from where I stand. Worse than others.

Anonymous said...

weggis - I think you are right, he has to given what his friend Ann 'Doris Karloff' Widdecombe suggests about "Can you imagine what our old ladies are going to make of it if they turn up there by mistake?"

Classic !

Anonymous said...

AD: Do the LibDems have much urban support?September 14, 2008 10:26 PM

Looking at the polls I don't think they have much support at all! They are a dying party that will hopefully breath it's last in the next year along with the Labour party.

Anonymous said...

People who think that Libdims are kind and friendly and...are basically deluding themselves.

Libdims are essentially nosey parker dogooders whose main mission in life is to tell you what to do according to their warped view of the world. They are wholly uninterested in your view point as they already have their enlightened position which is unassailable by normal standards of logic and common sense.

Anonymous said...

But I thought bearded sandal(with socks) wearers were a minority!

Anonymous said...

To anonymous, yesterday 6:23pm

Islam does permit abortion in exceptional circumstances. To paint 'mulims' as anti-abortion is innacurate and uneducated. So get your facts straight.

neil craig said...

I think their problem is that they have been to minority friendly to the extent that any commitment to traditional liberalism has been squeezed out.

I don't mean racial minorities (this happened to the Socialist Workers who seem now to be largely an Islamic front) but special interest groups. Greens in particular (I once pointed out that the Scottish Conference had not in 10 years had a debate on the economy but 2 in one year on bicycling) but also other special interests who want money or enforcement for their fetish. This coalition of interests makes them a party committed to ever more taxes, laws & government, completely opposite to the original liberal philosophy.

Anonymous said...

But the Lib Dems don't pose as the friend of minorities or whatever. They are quite avowedly the party of white well-to-do middle-class hand-wringers - so that's what you get at their conferences.

Anonymous said...

I agree with the last line of Man in a Shed's comment.
Unlike Tories and Labour Party members, many Lib Dems haven't actually met any black people in real life.
They came up with the insulting term BME, while running Southwark. And loads of claims were made against them for racism. I don't think they're malicious against black and Asian people, they don't have a clue really. They speak of an entire group of people like they were studies in anthropological textbooks.
perhaps Simon Hughes could be leader one day as he seems the only normal person in the party. Under him the demographics could change a bit.

Anonymous said...

About as diverse as the RNC convention from the sound of things.