Diversity doesn’t matter for Lambeth Liberal Democrats
September 2005

Lambeth Council is about to recruit a new Chief Executive to take charge of running the Council’s services. Lambeth is one of the most socially and ethnically diverse boroughs in the country. Most people would expect the interview panel for such a crucial role to reflect the diversity of the Borough. But the Liberal Democrats have snubbed Lambeth’s black and minority ethnic communities by nominating three white men to sit on the appointment panel.

For all four years that the Liberal Democrats have been running the Council, they have only appointed white men to take up front-bench positions on the Council’s Executive. Labour believes this is unacceptable in a Borough where equalities issues are particularly important. The Council has recently been involved in two high profile industrial tribunals where it stood accused of racist employment practices.

The Chief Executive is the most important manager at the council, the person tasked with improving the council from the top.

By contrast, Labour Councillors have nominated to the appointment panel the most widely respected black politician in Lambeth (Cllr Donatus Anyanwu), and their woman Deputy Leader (Cllr Jackie Meldrum) alongside their Group Leader (Cllr Steve Reed). The Liberal complement will be taken up by the all-white all-male trio of Peter Truesdale, Keith Fitchett and Ashley Lumsden.

Labour councillor Donatus Anyanwu commented:

“Race and diversity are crucial issues in Lambeth. The Liberals are slapping Lambeth’s diverse community in the face by nominating only white men to take this important decision.

“Lambeth’s Lib Dems have never appointed a woman or a black person to a senior position on the Council’s Executive. Now they are appointing only white men to choose Lambeth’s next Chief Executive. They simply don’t take equality seriously.”

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