A Liberal Democracy should be precisely that. Positive discrimination is blatantly prejudiced and is against the whole ethos of the Lib Dems.

I welcome Leaders, Cllrs, MPs & MEPs of any persuasion, so long as they are the best person for the job, and not because some numpty has insisted that only a restricted element can apply. (If the numpties get their way, why didnt they insist that we couldn’t have a leadership election if there wasn’t a female candidate, and a candidate from each and every diverse ethnic community et cetera?)

Stephen, the issue is not that white MPs cannot represent EM minority interests or vice versa. The question is how can a group of the Party claim to be representative of the general population when its Parliamentary Group comes from from just one section of the community ?

During my policy interview at my licencing I was asked about one element of Scottish Policy which I had spoken against at the debate at conference the previous year. However, the policy was accepted by a democratic vote as was part of Scottish policy. So I’d prepared my respnse to such a question and indeed to any follow up, as my speech had actually been shown live on BBC Scotland that day. However, as Andy said above as it was the detail and not the principle that I had objected to in that policy debate and I was able to bring those elements out in my answer.

The thing is the exercises you have to prepare for to get approved are things that a candidate really has to go through to a greater of lesser extent depending on the constiuency and your profile in that race. Having now observed up close my second by-election and a key seat campaign in the general election since I have seen how this is good grounding in the skills that you require. The assessors are not so much trying to catch you out as test you to the limit. If you are going to be a candidate and more if you get elected and become an MP you have to be up to challenge.

Sadly my group was 100% white and 75% male. I know this is not reflective of the talent that we have out there.

As for what to do ask other’s out there who have gone through it what to expect. When filling out the form think outside the box if you feel you do not have qualities in any area. You may have some life experience which meets a criteria in a certain way which you just take as being normal everyday but is just the sort of thing that is needed.

To acheive the Reflecting Britain we need a bigger pool and good female and ethnic candidates. In fact I know there are many out there who are hiding their lights under bushels and if they put themsleves forward they would beat many of the white men without breaking a sweat. However, most of all go for it, relax and enjoy yourself.