A rather Ethnic Tea Party…

Hazel Blears shows her support

One of the things I am most proud about, when I consider my membership of the Labour party, is that out of all the major political parties, it is only Labour that has delivered a significant number of elected representatives – local, regional, national and international, from the UK’s Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities.

On Monday, Hazel Blears MP hosted a tea party for newly elected councillors from Britain’s BME communities Continue reading “A rather Ethnic Tea Party…”

Compass Shapes the Politics to Come

Introducing the conference's closing session

Yesterday I spent the day at a national conference hosted by Compass, the democratic left pressure group upon whose board I sit.

Over one thousand people of centre left persuasion gathered in the incredible Westminster Methodist Hall – home to many an historic meeting of the Suffragettes, Gandhi and the Labour Representation Committee – to discuss the future of the centre left in Britain and to remember the late Right Honourable Robin Cook MP, who was so cruelly and suddenly taken from us last summer. Last year’s Compass Summer Conference was the last major event at which Robin spoke and we wanted to celebrate his life and the contribution he made to Compass. If Robin was still alive, there is no doubt that he would have been the driving force behind Compass in Parliament Continue reading “Compass Shapes the Politics to Come”

Talking Women and Politics with Meg Munn MP

Talking Women with Meg Munn MP

After a month spent settling into my new role, I took some time out of my local Councillor schedule to attend an informal Westminster tea and coffee session with Meg Munn MP (pictured next to me in the centre), the Deputy Minister for Women at the new Department for Housing, Local Government and Communities.

I joined five other “young” (do I still count as young?!) people, working in and around British politics, for a really good discussion about women and politics. How can we get more women interested in local politics? Could electing more female councillors be a way to attract more women into Parliament? Continue reading “Talking Women and Politics with Meg Munn MP”