The political representation of ethnic and racial minorities in Britain occupies an important place in public debates on society-wide representativeness, anti-racism and the quality of democracy. The distance between holding and exercising political rights, however, is not straightforward, as seen in intended and untended obstacles that span the institutions of political life (such as the Westminster and devolved Parliaments), the systems that reproduce these (such as the electoral process and party politics), and the changing dynamics of social relations (such as shifts in identities and values). In this episode we bring together people who have helped us to understand current developments across the UK, and ask what the UK General Election 2024 will mean for political representation, anti-racism and democratic engagement more broadly.

Shaista Aziz is co-Director of the Three Hijabis, working to tackle racism in football, sport and cultural spaces. She’s a national and award winning anti-racism and equalities campaigner, a prolific journalist, writer and broadcaster. She resigned from the Labour Party in October 2023, over Starmer’s endorsement of collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza. She served as a Labour councillor in her home city of Oxford for seven years including three years on the cabinet, as one of the first Muslim women and women of colour to do so. Shaista is a trained therapeutic counsellor and specializes in working with racially marginalized people and communities including refugees.

Sunder Katwala is the director of British Future. He has previously worked as a journalist. He was general secretary of the Fabian Society thinktank from 2003 to 2011, and was previously a leader writer and internet editor at the Observer, a research director of the Foreign Policy Centre and commissioning editor for politics and economics at the publisher Macmillan.

Nasar Meer is Professor of Social & Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow and Chair of the Academic Committee of The Stuart Hall Foundation. He is author of The Cruel Optimism of Racial Justice (2022) and co-editor of Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power.

Aaron Winter is Senior Lecturer in Sociology of Race and Anti-Racism and Director of the Centre for Alternatives to Social and Economic Inequalities (CASEI) at Lancaster University. He is co-editor of Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power and co-author, with Aurelien Mondon, of Reactionary Democracy: How Racism and the Populist Far Right Became Mainstream (Verso 2020).

Talat Yaqoob is a third-sector leader, writer and campaigner, focused on equality issues across politics, public life and the labour market; in particular championing women, communities of colour and migrants. She is an independent consultant providing policy, public affairs and research expertise to the third and public sectors. She was the Director of Equate Scotland, the national expert on women in science, engineering, technology and the built environment. She is a co-founder and Chair of the campaign group Women 50:50, advocating for fair representation of women in politics, which won a Herald Diversity Award in 2017. She is also a member of the First Minister’s National Advisory Council on Women and Girls. Talat is a well-versed public speaker and commentator across media on equalities issues. She won the Write to End Violence Against Women Award in 2017 and the Saltire Scotland Outstanding Women of 2018 award.

Further reading:
theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/03/faiza-shaheen-deselection-labour-party

link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-45013-6

britishfuture.org/publication/diversity-in-the-next-parliament

doi.org/10.1080/1070289X.2018.1552440

runnymedetrust.org/publications/creating-a-crisis-immigration-racism-and-the-2024-general-election

novaramedia.com/2023/12/04/suella-bravermans-resignation-could-be-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-the-far-right

Episode 2: Race, Ethnicity and the UK General Election 2024

We are thrilled to announce the 10th episode of The Local Government Stories Podcast, featuring a special guest, Andrew Kerr, CEO of Edinburgh Council.

Andrew began his career in Leisure Services and has since built an impressive 42-year journey in local government, serving as Chief Executive across four major local councils in North Tyneside, Wiltshire, Cornwall, and currently in Edinburgh.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Andrew is a medal-winning 400m runner who has represented Team GB and Scotland at the international level. He was honoured with an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2021 for his contributions to public services.

Throughout his career, Andrew has held various local and national roles. His move to Wiltshire as Chief Executive drew significant media attention as he navigated some challenging political waters with redundancy after only 18 months into the position. He then moved to the Chief Executive role in Cornwall where he faced some unprecedented challenges during politically difficult times. 

Andrew later took the opportunity as the Chief Executive of diverse Edinburgh, leading through the challenging pandemic period. He has overseen significant events, including the arrangements for the Queen of England's funeral. 

Today he leads on developing positive relationships with the city’s four universities, engaging with a breadth of partners that make the city a global attraction.

Don't miss this insightful episode where Andrew shares his vast experience and unique stories from his distinguished career in local government.

Solace website: ⁠solace.org.uk ⁠

Dedicated podcast site:

⁠⁠⁠⁠solace.org.uk/blog/local-government-stories-podcast/

⁠@Solace_UK⁠ #LocalGovernmentStories

Andrew Kerr OBE & Nazeya Hussain - Local Government Stories

In this episode, Chris and fellow LACEr Debbie Mitchell discuss the topic of the general election and its potential impact on HR. Our newest whitepaper, “The successful CPO: Election special” provides an overview of the main parties' positions on employment the potential implications for HR professionals.

Listen now to get ahead of the game and get ready for change. If you would like to read our whitepaper you can download a free copy here - https://lacepartners.co.uk/the-successful-cpo-election-special/

How will the general election impact HR?

Julie McCulloch, ASCL Director of Policy and Richard Bettsworth, ASCL Director of PR, discuss what the political parties are saying on education.

www.ascl.org.uk/manifesto | #educationmatters

ASCL looks at the party manifestos | June 2024

This week on the podcast, the AWEB team joined by Nimesh Shah, CEO of Blick Rothenberg does a deep dive into the election manifestos. 

With just a week until the election, Nimesh Shah reveals the reality of the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat manifestos. The panel also gives mention to some notable initiatives from the Green Party and the Reform Party as well as questioning what will happen post-election.

No Accounting for Taste ep166: General election tax pledges picked apart

A song to say farewell to 14 years of Conservative government

The Later Plantagenets

Bye Bye Boogie

The AccountingWEB team dive right into Labour’s landslide victory last week, talking about Keir Starmer and the first female Chancellor, Rachel Reeves. They question whether Reeves will pause and take consultation from those involved in the industry. 

Tom Herbert discusses a popular topic, choosing the right software and apps. He explores the term ‘best’, why that’s not always the case for software and other factors that need to be considered.

Turning back to the election, Richard Hattersley shared that accountancy candidates were obliterated. Has the electorate fallen out of love with accountants and why?

Finally, Matthew Ord sheds light onto HMRC who was criticised for being unable to fix a problem of its own making after the department wrongly refunded voluntary class 2 national insurance contributions.

No Accounting for Taste ep167: Election talk, choosing software and HMRC errors

In the latest Editor's Briefing, the team reflect on a number of huge talking points from a landmark General Election, including Labour's landslide, a historic Conservative slump, and breakthroughs for the Greens, Lib Dems, and Reform.

As well as looking ahead to what the first 100 days of a Labour government could hold, James gives a snapshot of the good, bad and ugly for the green economy after 14 years of Conservative government.

And aside from the election, the team also round up the latest big stories from the green economy, including forecasts of an emerging 'new order' in liquified natural gas, news that pure electric battery vehicles now account for almost a fifth of the UK's new cars, and Great Britain's electricity network operators tendering a record 6.4GW of capacity on flexibility markets last year.

BusinessGreen Editor's Briefing: A new era? All the green reaction to the election result

Solidarity 715, 10 July 2024. Articles include:


    After the election: organise for chaotic times
    A good moment, but a fraught future
    Gaza: ceasefire still urgent
    Incoherence and a dash of Lenin
    Conference rallies growing opposition in Israel
    The "exemplary" soldier and the woman beaten unconscious
    Police make pre-emptive JSO arrests
    Labour’s Scottish gains are fragile
    Crash council-house programme needed
    Did Labour win on 4 July?
    Tata: unions must stay on alert
    Kino Eye: A Very English Scandal
    The far right in Germany: the AfD
    What Is To Be Done: a vital text, not a blueprint for bureaucracy
    Right-wing judges license Trump coups
    Biden: downplaying the “evil” in “lesser evil”
    We can’t evade 4 November
    The roots of the contemporary far right
    GMB ballots at Amazon BHX4
    SOAS student co-president faces expulsion threat
    Reclaim the Power organises for Drax climate camp
    New money for the junior doctors!
    PCS faces difficult fight on pay restoration
    Justine campaign scores a win
    “A Monroe Doctrine for Labour”: The AFL’s position during the Mexican Revolution
    Cammell Laird workers defy anti-strike laws to show solidarity

More online: https://workersliberty.org/publications/solidarity/solidarity-715-10-july-2024

Solidarity

715 — After the election organise the left: insist on Labour's pledges; Fight to restore NHS

With Christmas and New Year fast approaching, the AccountingWEB team reunites for their final podcast of 2024, reflecting on the year’s biggest stories.

They kick off with the 20-year Post Office scandal, which gained renewed attention in 2024 after the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The team discusses ongoing lessons and why it’s important to keep this issue in focus.

Next, they tackle HMRC’s pattern of U-turns, including this year’s reversals on double cab pickups and helpline cuts, sharing what these shifts reveal about HMRC’s direction.

The conversation turns to major anti-money laundering (AML) failures, such as Metro Bank’s £16.7m fine and the accountant who faked being an auditor for 34 years. The team questions why AML continues to be an issue and whether things will change. 

General election highlights and two budgets – Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget and Rachel Reeves’s inaugural Autumn Budget – also feature, with their impact being examined. 

Finally, Richard Hattersley and Tom Herbert share bold predictions for 2025, exploring where the accounting profession might head in the coming year.


No Accounting for Taste ep178: End of year round up

Join Nazeya Hussain, Solace Board member and EDI lead, as she uncovers the stories, drive, and passion that have shaped some of the most esteemed Chief Executives in Local Government. Delve into in-depth interviews that explore their experiences, best practices, and inspirational tales, perfect for those intrigued by the challenges of the CEO role and the profound impact of councils on communities. With Nazeya's two decades of experience across all tiers of local government and her unwavering passion for making a difference, tune in for firsthand perspectives on local governance's challenges and triumphs. Proudly presented by Solace.

Enjoy listening!

Workers’ Liberty fights for socialist revolution, for the labour movement to militantly assert working class interests. Follow us! Find out more, and get involved at https://workersliberty.org • fb.me/workersliberty • twitter.com/workersliberty

The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) is the leading professional association and trade union for all school, college and trust leaders. We are proud to support and represent more than 25,000 leaders of primary, secondary and post-16 education from across the UK.

Our podcasts feature senior leaders from around the UK, across all phases, covering a wide variety of topics in conversation with ASCL.

Our podcast series include:

Business Brunch
Primary podcast
SEND Bites
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The Trust ASCL Leadership podcasts
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Brighton-based songwriter.

rm_ali@hotmail.com 

Are you an HR leader grappling with the complexities of HR tech, transformation, or change management? Then, listen to the HR on the offensive podcast for cutting-edge insights, actionable strategies, and real-world success stories to tackle your biggest HR challenges.

At LACE Partners, we pride ourselves on being a fundamentally different HR consultancy—innovative, and laser-focused on delivering impact. In each episode, we dive into the latest trends, expert advice, and practical solutions to help you stay ahead in a rapidly evolving workplace.

Whether you're looking to drive adoption of new technology, lead organisational change, or simply optimise your HR strategy, you'll leave every episode with fresh perspectives and tools to take your initiatives to the next level.

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New tracks tagged #generalelection