Record number of BAME MP’s in Parliament

On Wednesday 28 June 2017 11 new MP’s from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds took their seats in Parliament. This is an increase of BAME MP’s from 41 to 52. Of those, 32 are Labour, 19 Conservatives and one Lib Dem.

This is a historic result for the BAME population and I was delighted to celebrate with BAME MP’s, the Speaker Bercow and Lord Speaker Fowler in Parliament.

Democracy is made stronger by greater diversity. It inspires many more people to engage in politics, and to believe that their voices are listened to.

There is now also more gender equality than ever before in Parliament after a record 208 women were elected in the 2017 General Election. Nearly 100 years after the law was changed to allow women to become MPs, women now make up 32% of the House of Commons.

Black and Asian workers still suffer a massive pay gap. This is why the Labour Party are committed to making the Minimum Wage a real Living Wage, which will benefit ethnic minority workers who are more likely to be on low pay.

The Labour Party is the party of equality and seeks to build a society and world free from all forms of racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Labour brought in the Equal Pay Act, the Sex Discrimination Act, the Equality Act, the Minimum Wage and introduced Sure Start. Every progressive piece of equality legislation has been delivered by Labour.