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.

Featuring:

Shaista Aziz

Talat Yaqoob

Sunder Katwala

Nasar Meer

Aaron Winter