FRONT COVER

SCOTTISH LABOUR
BME MANIFESTO
BOTH VOTES LABOUR

SCOTTISH LABOUR BME MANIFESTO

HOW WE WILL ACHIEVE EQUALITY FOR BLACK AND MINORITY

ETHNIC PEOPLE AND CREATE RELIGIOUS INCLUSION
Scotlands diversity is what makes it great. A society with different cultures, languages and
backgrounds within it should be celebrated, but we need to reflect these differences within
our institutions and ensure that Scotland is a welcoming place to all.

BME People and Opportunity

BME People and Public Life

Too few of our young people starting a modern

apprenticeship are from BME backgrounds and
BME people are less likely to take up lifelong
learning opportunities. Communities facing
exclusion, bigotry and Islamophobia prevent
people with talent getting to the places they
deserve to be. This must change.

The BME population in Scotland is not

represented in our public life; in the last
Parliament only 1.5% of MSPs were BME and
in the 2012 local authority election, only 17
councillors identified as BME. Scotlands decision
makers need to reflect society so that all of
Scotland feels part of our democracy and our
policy making. By increasing this representation,
we not only create better outcomes but come a

Our plan

We will deliver a promotional campaign

to specifically encourage BME
young people to consider modern
apprenticeships.
We will expect every part of Government
to offer internships, specifically for
Scotlands disabled, black and minority
ethnic communities, opening up
experience of public service to people
from more diverse backgrounds.
We will deliver a celebrating diversity
campaign to tackle bigotry towards
immigrants and the BME community.
We will continue to back specialist
support and representative bodies for
the BME community, as well as ensuring
equality mainstreaming in local services.
We will make more of the Scottish
Parliaments multi-faith cross-party
group, with an emphasis for MSPs to
meet with not only BME community
leaders but members of the community
on the ground.
We will provide multi-lingual resources
for training and development
We will train educators on cultural
sensitivity and inclusion.

step closer to eradicating bigotry.

Our plan

We will create a Scottish Parliament paid

internship scheme for BME people.
We will consult with communities to
develop a strategy laying out how we
break down the barriers that disabled,
black and ethnic minority people face to
participate in public life.
We will ensure that multi-lingual
resources on engaging in politics are
made available across Scotland.
Ensure that consultations on policy
development are available in multiple
languages and ensure that BME
representative bodies are given support
to assist the BME community to take
part in consultations.
We will host regular in your community
events where the Scottish Government
cabinet tours communities with
interpreters in attendance where
necessary.
We will introduce a Refugee Integration
(Scotland) Bill, setting out refugees rights
to access services, enshrining national
standards for integration, and simplify
the many provisions in Scots law relevant
to refugees.

SCOTTISH LABOUR BME MANIFESTO

BME People and the Economy

BME People and Justice

Scotlands BME communities play a vital role

in our economy, creating jobs and wealth
across a variety of sectors. But as a country
we can do so much more to utilise the
diverse talents BME people offer. We need
an economy that recognises and celebrates
that.

Scottish Labour wants a justice system

in Scotland that all people have faith in
and that delivers fairness. The creation
of a single police force across Scotland
has created problems not only in delivery
but in perception. The creation of a single
police force should have been used as an
opportunity to overhaul institutionalised
issues. Scottish Labour wants to revisit this
opportunity.

Our plan

Our plan

We will create an Equal Business

pledge to encourage employers to
recruit a diverse range of candidates.
We will encourage unconscious bias
training as standard within the public
sector.
We will continue to invest in support
and advice for employees who
have experienced racial or religious
discrimination.
We will ensure work preparedness
training programmes are rooted
within communities.
We will ensure the provision of social
enterprise and business support
catered to the BME community.

We will work to link police more with

their local communities and renew a
sense of local democracy in policing.
Police and frontline staff will be
trained in unconscious bias and
cultural respect.
We will deliver a recruitment drive to
increase diversity within our police
force and justice system.
We will ensure that multi-lingual
support is provided for victims and
those appearing in court in Scotland.
We will continue to invest in and
support third party hate crime
reporting.
We will adopt a zero-tolerance
approach to hate crime.
We will work with local authorities
and third sector organisations to
welcome and support refugees and
we will continue to argue that the
UK should take a more humane
approach to welcoming those fleeing
conflict and persecution.

SCOTTISH LABOUR BME MANIFESTO

BME People and Health

The NHS is one of Labours greatest
achievements, but as pressures on it increases
and as Scotlands population ages, it is in need
of more investment so it is fit for 2040s, not the
1940s. We know that the BME community, like
any community in Scotland, rely upon our NHS
and we need to make sure it is fit for purpose for
every individual.

Our plan
We will encourage diversity
awareness and cultural respect
training for frontline staff as
standard.
We will make health literature
available in a variety of languages
across Scotland.
We will support the availability
of interpreters in primary health
settings.
We will support specialist services
providing culturally relevant mental
health intervention.
We will ensure healthcare
information is made available in
community faith centres such as
mosques, ghurdwaras, temples and
synagogues.

SCOTTISH LABOUR BME MANIFESTO

Printed & Promoted by Brian Roy, Scottish General Secretary, Scottish Labour Party, 290 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4RE

SCOTTISH LABOUR BME MANIFESTO