Federal Policy Update - Dr Mohsin Khan

There are two main policy areas of work particularly relevant to BAME individuals that I've been working on at FPC and elsewhere.

The first is as part of the exciting new online policy discussion project the Lib Dems are using - PolicyLab. This is part of a widescale policy review looking at how our policies will be changing for a World After Coronavirus. Please do go online and get involved in the discussions around this. I'm one of the co-leads for the health chapter, but also feed into the discussion by the co-leads on the other sections.

The second is Autumn Conference, which is now going virtual and should hopefully have much more involvement from a range of groups. FPC have worked with LDCRE to put forward a motion called 'Racial Justice Cannot Wait', hot on the heels of the tragic events in the US over police brutality and the BLM protests worldwide. It puts forward a range of liberal and pressing proposals across race equality. It's important we all locally and nationally continue to push for these changes and not let the momentum weaken, particularly as other pressing issues will compete for the world's attention come autumn and winter.

There will also be an FPC motion on the Covid and the Government's response to this - a particularly important topic for BAME members, given the greater burden that the pandemic has had in terms of social effects, economic effect, and the health risks on BAME individuals.

Lastly, LDCRE has also been involved in working with Christine Jardine MP and the Lib Dem VP, Isabelle Parasram, on briefings around the BAME and COVID health issues for our Parliamentarians. I have, in my other roles, also been involved in other briefings to Parliamentarians around BAME and Coronavirus-related health or NHS issues.

Dr Mohsin Khan is a Vice-Chair of LDCRE, and also sits on the Federal Policy Committee as a directly-elected member.