Ethnic Minority Election Task Force member Baroness Kishwer Falkner writes:

Unless we improve representation from diverse candidates in this party, we risk looking white, pale and male. I don’t want to give our supporters the impression that we do not care, as we obviously do. But we now need to translate talking the talk into walking the walk. Let’s go for it.

Last week, blogger Steve Guy pondered his moral dilemma about whether to support the Reflecting Britain campaign.

Steve has now made up his mind, and we are delighted to have his support:

I think the Reflecting Britain initiative is a genuine attempt to focus more attention on our failure to get more female and ethnic minority candidates - and for that reason I applaud it. But I would also like to see the campaign focus on why we fail to attract more grass roots activists from ethnic minority backgrounds, for it is from the local activists that the politicians of the future must emerge.

You can show your support like Steve, Ming Campbell, Simon Hughes and Chris Huhne by signing up here.

As part of our new drive to encourage people to consider applying to get on the Lib Dem’s approval list, we’d like your feedback.

• What are the most rewarding aspects of going through the process and being a candidate?
• What are the greatest challenges?
• What hints and tips would you give to people thinking of applying?

Please add your views in the comments section below - thanks a lot.

Note: comments on this site are moderated and there may be a short delay before your comment is approved and posted. Thank you for your patience.

All three Liberal Democrat leadership contenders have accepted the Reflecting Britain leadership challenge and pledged to support the party’s Gender Balance and Ethnic Minority Election Task Forces.

Chris Huhne commented:

“I have made the equalities issue – for women, ethnic minorities and the gay community – a key priority of my campaign. I was the only candidate to mention the problem at the first hustings at the London School of Economics, and I was proud that exactly half of the parliamentarians who backed me at first were women including Sandra Gidley, Lynne Featherstone and Susan Kramer.”

Ming Campbell commented:

“Liberal Democrats have been at the forefront in promoting equality and anti-discrimination legislation since 1965. However we have not achieved fair representation in our party for women and ethnic minorities, nor indeed for other under-represented groups such as disabled people and young people. We cannot be at ease with ourselves until our Party is reflective of our diverse communities.”

Simon Hughes commented:

“I have always supported the Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats and actively challenged the lack of Black and Minority representation both externally and internally to the Party. I have consistently supported and will continue to support the work of the Gender Balance Task Force and believe that we should support, guide, headhunt and mentor more women and Black and Minority members so that they can be candidates for our Party.”

Co-ordinator of the Reflecting Britain campaign Candy Piercy added:

“We are delighted that Chris, Ming and Simon have pledged to actively support the Liberal Democrat’s work to make our Parliamentary Party more reflective of modern Britain. It is vital that the new leader makes this issue a priority.

“We will continue to campaign over the next few weeks in order to raise the profile of the issue within the party and will ask the leadership contenders to help us with this. We are also keen to encourage as many party members as possible to consider applying to get approved as a candidate. With the party’s top target seats currently starting to select their candidates for the next general election, now is the perfect time for people to put their names forward.”

You can add your voice of support to the campaign by going here.

In an interview with online women’s lifestyle magazine nuts4chic, Jo Swinson MP gives this advice to anybody thinking of a career in politics:

Do it. I think that a lot of people get put off and think it’s not for them. And the one thing I have always said is ‘If you really care passionately about your local area, about political issues, you’re half way there.

The other stuff you can learn – you can learn how to make polished speeches, you can learn how to write a press release… you can learn how to interpret legislation. I’ve been doing a fair bit of that over the past six months. But you can’t learn to care if you dont.

So, if you care about issues, and generally if someone is considering a career in politics you would imagine they do, then really the advice is to go for it, but with your eyes open in that there’s no guarantees.

Jo has further advice for potential candidates in the interview. Reflecting Britain will be launching a new campaign to encourage people to put their names forward soon.

The Fawcett Society has welcomed the launch of Reflecting Britain and its call for more women Lib Dem MPs.

Jenny Westaway from Fawcett commented:

Fawcett supports Reflecting Britain’s campaign to increase the number of women and Black and Minority Ethnic MPs in the Liberal Democrat Party. As long-standing campaigners on women and politics, we are pleased to see the challenge to the Lib Dem leadership candidates. Fawcett believes that every party must adopt positive action to ensure that the MPs who represent us, reflect our nation more closely.

Tristan from A Liberal Alone writes…

I have decided I support the Reflecting Britain campaign. There is a clear imbalance in the party which needs to be addressed just as the gender imbalance is being redressed. There is no reason why we should not have a party which is representative of the entire population.

The campaign is also not campaigning for all-women shortlists. Such measures are detrimental to other groups and create a hostile atmosphere for the group which is meant to be helped.

Peter Black AM weighs in:

I am supporting the Reflecting Britain campaign because I believe that the Liberal Democrats need to better reflect the diverse society we live in at all levels. In particular we need more Parliamentarians who are women or from ethnic minority backgrounds.

This though is not just about the Liberal Democrats. If the mainstream political parties fail to be open and welcoming to all then disillusion with and alienation from the political system will grow. This campaign is about engaging with people at the broadest possible level. It must not become yet another badge or label, it must be the start of real action to secure the inclusive society that Britain needs.

I’m backing the Reflecting Britain campaign because although the party has made some progress on representation in recent years, I’m worried that the progress is too slow. Our message should appeal to many more people than it does, and it should inspire many more people to join the party and stand in elections. But we just aren’t getting through to everyone. There needs to be a coherent approach and Reflecting Britain is proposing some excellent measures.

Dr Richard Grayson is the former Liberal Democrat Director of Policy and was the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hemel Hempstead in 2005.

105 107 Liberal Democrats, including dozens of parliamentary candidates and councillors, 4 MPs and 2 members of the House of Lords, have now signed up to the Reflecting Britain campaign, which was launched last week.

The Reflecting Britain campaign is calling on the Lib Dem leadership contenders to support the work of the Gender Balance and Ethnic Minority Election Task Forces. These groups exist to encourage more women and BME members to put themselves forward as parliamentary candidates and helps them by providing training, support and mentoring. The Gender Balance Task Force successfully lead to a marked increase in female MPs at the last General Election, but it has always struggled to receive adequate funding.

The MPs signing up in the last couple of days include party high-flyer and spokesperson on Europe Nick Clegg.

The former chair of the Gender Balance Task Force Baroness Harris has signed up. Commenting, she said:

“It is imperative that women play their part in political policy and decision making. Our party may have accepted this tacitly, but it is now time to ensure our new leader addresses this question as a matter of urgency.”

The Chair of the Ethnic Minority Election Task Force Cllr Rabi Martins has also signed up. He said:

“I honestly cannot see how the Party will make the breakthrough in the next general election without significant support from our ethnic minority citizens. And we are unlikely to get that support until we are seen as a Party that is inclusive at every level. That is why it is important that we hear what the leadership candidates have to say on this subject.”

The Reflecting Britain Campaign has asked the leadership contenders to sign up to a statement supporting the Gender Balance and Ethnic Minority Election Task Forces. In addition, it has asked them to respond to five questions about how best to ensure the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party is made more diverse. The answers received from the candidates will be published on the website on 1 February.