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"We need more women in politics."
"We need more young people in politics."
"We need more ethnic minorities/migrants in politics."
I am in all of these 3 categories & stand for election in 2021 for the first time. Here's a subjective thread about barriers to representation. [1]
"We need more young people in politics."
"We need more ethnic minorities/migrants in politics."
I am in all of these 3 categories & stand for election in 2021 for the first time. Here's a subjective thread about barriers to representation. [1]
The first step to get into politics is to know you can be involved in politics, i.e. voting and candidacy rights. Many migrants are not made aware of their rights. I even met elected Councillors who did not know EU citizens can vote and stand for election. Yeah, I know... [2]
The second step to get into politics, unless you are an independent, is to join a political party. Again, there's a lack of awareness in many corners of minority communities about who can join a party & what the process is. We could do with better outreach & transparency. [3]
One of the first things you'd do is attend a local meeting. As a young person or someone with a non-British accent, you'll probably find very few people like you, if any, in this first meeting. So you need to keep on attending even if perhaps you do not feel heard at first. [4]
But young people & migrants are more likely to move. Sometimes very frequently & usually for economic reasons. I lived in 5 different parts of Cambridge in short-term rents. So it will be difficult to establish links in the community, which can disadvantage you. [5]
Young people & migrants also tend to have less free time. And yes, you need quite a bit of free time to be able to develop your profile. If I did not have to work or develop my career, if I owned a house, I would literally have so much more free time. [6]
But surely, you ask, politics is a career? Local councillors don't get a full-time salary (they normally get an allowance, varying accross the UK). So again, it is much more difficult for those of us who need to work full time & even more than full time if caring for others. [7]
Young people - & young migrants - are also more likely not to have joint income, more likely to live in rented accommodation & live 'paycheque to paycheque'. When you pay over half your salary for a room and a 'kitchenette', politics may not be the first thing on your mind. [8]
Let's say you're a great multitasker and you really care. So then you get more involved and start knocking on doors (in the times before COVID-19, of course). If you have a non-British accent, you'll get a few comments such as 'why are you in politics if you're not British?' [9]
If you're someone who deals with xenophobic trolls online regularly like I am, you probably won't care about these comments coming from a small minority. But many will, and will be put off from campaigning. And then something will need to bring you back to politics. [10]
Now, let's say you got through all of this process and you think hmm, maybe I should stand for election locally. The younger you are and the less money you have, the more difficult it will be to have a balance in your life. [11]
I'll give you one example. I looked up the schedule of County Council meetings in my area. A lot of them are in the morning in working hours. It's similar in a lot of parts of the country. And you have a lot to prepare for meetings to actually know what you vote for. [12]
So to me, it's no surprise at all that the national census of local authority councillors in 2018 revealed that the average age of councillors in 2018 was 59.4 years old and that the proportion aged under 45 was only 14.8 per cent in 2018. [13]
Again, I am not surprised that we have over half a million Romanians in the UK but only found 2 local councillors with this background. Or that the University of Manchester study last year found a significant underrepresentation of BAME councillors. [14]
I'm not surprised, but I want local politics to reflect better the diversity in local areas- both in terms of issues and people. So instead of just asking why we don't have people involved of X and Y background, let's have a look at the structures of political involvement. [15]
I have also seen a lot of development lately to increase representation in politics. While training, events and even mentoring are super helpful to build confidence to get involved, we still have some structures that will inevitably make it a bit easier for some groups. [16]
There's no perfect solution. But instead of just expecting more people to put themselves forward, let's do more to support them. And those of us like me who complained for years about representation, perhaps it is time to get a bit more involved like I did this year. [17]
I would like to hear from all of you, in particular any candidates or councillors from the less represented groups, what your views on this are. I had many discussions with others and this is a very lively debate topic. So please comment below!
