Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes has welcomed the findings of the Operation Black Vote (OBV) report into the effect that black and ethnic minority (BME) votes will have on the outcome of the general election in 2015.
Liberal Democrat councillor and OBV consultant Lester Holloway worked on the report, which finds that in 168 marginal seats the BME vote is bigger than the majority of the incumbent MP. Simon Hughes said the report would encourage parties to appeal to a wider proportion of the local population.
Simon Hughes said: “This latest analysis by Lester Holloway is very welcome – and very significant. Based on the most up to date census figures, Lester Holloway reveals a picture of more than two out of five parliamentary seats in England and Wales where BME voters could decide the result.
“Black, other minority ethnic and mixed race adults are now not only key voters in the more obvious parts of English inner cities, they are now significant political communities in many other urban, suburban and predominantly rural seats as well.
“Unless all parties and candidates engage with and seek to win BME support, they could be in political difficulty locally – and see their general election prospects significantly set back. Registered BME voters are as likely to vote as other groups. And they have specific concerns that the inequalities of Britain in general are more clearly experienced by those in their communities.”
