Kennedy courts ethnic minority votes
The Liberal Democrat leader has said that his party is now the party of choice for ethnic minority voters.
Charles Kennedy predicted a “seismic shift” away from Labour to the Liberal Democrats by ethnic minority voters disillusioned by the handling of the war in Iraq.
Speaking at a pre election press conference on Thursday Mr Kennedy said: “The Liberal Democrats believe it is important for ethnic minorities in Britain to find a home in the mainstream political parties.
“And we are determined that the Liberal Democrats become that natural home. Labour can no longer lay exclusive claim to the votes of Britain’s ethnic minorities.”
Mr Kennedy cited a March ICM poll showing that “the percentage of British Muslims intending to vote Labour has dropped from 75 per cent at the 2001 general election to 38 per cent now.”
“Those intending to Vote Lib Dem has risen from 10 to 36 per cent.”
He acknowledged that the Liberal Democrat’s opposition to the war in Iraq was a major factor, but added: “Being attractive to ethnic minority voters is not just about Iraq or asylum or discrimination – health, education and crime are just as important – and we have a distinctive voice on all these issues.
“And Liberal Democrat membership in our ethnic communities is growing -during 2003, 15 per cent of our new members were from minority ethnic groups.”
Also speaking at the press conference was Liberal Democrat party president Lord Navnit Dholakia.
He said: “Tony Blair was determined to go to war in Iraq with George Bush. But Mr Blair has been less determined to make sure anti-terrorist legislation does not unduly prejudice Muslims or other visible ethnic minorities.”
“And Mr Blair has been less determined to change the Government’s language on immigration and asylum, fuelling tensions within communities. It is perhaps here that he, and his right-wing friend David Blunkett, have done the most damage.
Lord Dholakia emphasised that “Britain is a nation of immigrants” and said that: “Given this history of our nation, Tony Blair and his Labour Government’s language on immigration and asylum has been disgraceful. Mr Blair has not only dismayed and alienated ethnic minority communities across Britain, he is also alienating people around the world as a result of this rhetoric.”
