Three candidates blazing the trail for greater BME representation!

Two weeks to go to the General Election, with more - though not enough - BME candidates standing for election to Parliament than ever before. Some are OBV alumni, attending and passing our award-winning Leadership and Shadowing schemes.

In the run up to the election we'll shine a light on some who we hope to see in Parliament after 7 May:

Clive Lewis, Labour candidate for Norwich South

A bright young rising star, Clive was the BBC eastern region’s chief political reporter before his political career. Deeply involved with Norwich-based causes, he’s campaigned against the privatisation of local NHS services; organised local unions, faith groups, businesses and academics working for a Living Wage; and worked with local campaign groups and trade unions for public ownership of the failing privatised rail industry which is failing the region so miserably. This is a young man who truly cares about his city and serving it's people well.

Clive will put his considerable energy and intellect to the benefit of Norwich South.

Helen Grant, Conservative candidate for Maidstone and the Weald

In the last Government, Helen was the high profile and particularly capable Minister for Sport and Tourism at the DCMS, having been promoted in the last reshuffle. She was the first black woman to be selected to defend a Tory seat and her election made her the Conservative’s first female black MP.

Helen should be proud of her time in Government, which she combined with a very hands-on approach to her constituency work. OBV witnessed first hand how she brought football chiefs to her Ministerial office to demand change for BME individuals throughtout the game.

Abdul Malik, Liberal Democrat candidate for Bristol East

Bristol’s first ever Asian/Muslim Councillor back in 2005, Abdul won Bristol Evening Post ‘Social Responsibility Award 2011’ for his work on various projects in the local area. He also featured in the M Shed Museum as ‘someone who makes Bristol, Bristol’. Abdul doesn’t understand the word ‘failure’ and his success in numerous businesses and his involvement and generosity in community causes in Bristol deserve to be recognised by the voters.

Picture: Clive Lewis, Helen Grant, Adbul Malik (left to right)

We'll be featuring many more candidates all the way up to the 7th May election date.