David Cameron: The first black or Asian prime minister will be a Tory
The Conservative leader said that his party was the first to produce a woman and Jewish prime minister
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Your support makes all the difference.David Cameron has claimed that the first ethnic minority candidate will be from the Conservative Party, in a speech to supporters in south London.
The Prime Minister said Britain was a “shining example” of a country where individuals with multiple identities thrive, as he announced plans to increase the number of ethnic minority Tory MPs.
“One of the things that makes me the most proud to be British is the fact we are the most successful multi-racial democracy on the planet," Mr Cameron said.
“We are a shining example of a country where multiple identities work.
"Where you can be Welsh and Hindu and British, Northern Irish and Jewish and British, where you can wear a kilt and a turban, where you can wear a hijab covered in poppies.
“This isn't just about living together, it's about thriving together.”
Termed the “2020 vision” for black, Asian and minority communities, the Tory leader promised that by the end of the decade 20 per cent of selections for seats, where Conservative candidates are standing down, would be reserved for minority candidates.
Despite Mr Cameron’s appeals to minority voters, a majority are still likely to favour the Labour Party.
A report for the Runnymede Trust in 2010 found that 68 per cent of ethnic minority voters supported Labour, compared to 16 per cent who backed the Tories.
The Prime Minister reminded his audience of the Conservative Party’s proud history saying: “We're the party of the first female prime minister. The party of the first Jewish prime minister. And I know that, one day, we're going to be the party of the first black or Asian prime minister.”
He added: “I want this to be an opportunity country, where no matter who you are or where you're from; whether you're black, white, Asian or mixed race; whether you're from the inner city or rural heartlands; you can make the most of your talents.”
In the last parliament just 27 MPs were not white; research by the Guardian found that the Commons would need 117 black and ethnic minority MPs to adequately reflect the diverse make-up of the UK.
PA
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