Based on current nominee selections by major British political parties, the upcoming UK Parliament is expected to be the most diverse yet, according to the most recent predictions made by a UK-based think tank and charity that supports social cohesion and diversity.
According to British Future’s “Diversity in the next Parliament” report, which was made public on Sunday, the percentage of ethnic minority members in the House of Commons—including those with Indian ancestry—is expected to increase from 10% to approximately 12% following the next general election. Regardless of the political outcome, this outcome is anticipated, indicating a “new cross-party norm” of ethnic diversity in British politics.
The number of ethnic minority members of Parliament is expected to rise from 65 to at least 75, and possibly as many as 83, at the next general election, according to a think tank projection. This is because the governing Conservatives and the opposition Labour Party have chosen roughly nine-tenths of their candidates for winnable target constituencies and early retirement seats.
The first Indian-born prime minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, hinted last week that he may run for office in the second half of the year.
“The next Parliament will be the most diverse ever, reflecting a new norm across political parties,” said Sunder Katwala, Director of British Future.
“More ethnic minorities and more women are likely to sit in the Commons than ever before. Parliament is gradually catching up with the electorate that it represents. But this needs to accelerate further if it is to keep pace with the growing diversity of our society and close the gender gap,” he said.
The projected increase of diversity in the Commons would still be below the 15 per cent required to keep pace with the diversity of the electorate. Therefore, Katwala strikes a note of caution to say that despite progress, political parties could miss a 2024 opportunity and called for more proactive action.
“In the longer term, Parliament and political parties should collect data on ethnicity and social class, to track representation, identify gaps and ensure all groups are getting a fair chance,” he added.
If the Labour Party gains an overall majority, it is predicted that it will have approximately 55 MPs from ethnic minorities, compared to approximately 21 from the Conservative Party. A “diversity milestone” was reached in the 2019 general election when 66 MPs from ethnic minorities were elected to the Westminster Parliament, with approximately 25% of them having Indian ancestry. This was the first time that 10% of MPs were from an ethnic minority background.
British Future stated, “That record looks set to be surpassed once again later this year.”
The projections also show that there will be a record number of women elected, particularly if the Labour Party is successful in gaining seats at the General Election.
Source: PTI
