FORMER MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh has criticised the SNP over the lack of black, asian, and minority ethnic women in the party’s ranks.
Writing in The National, Ahmed-Sheikh says BAME women are “noticeably missing” from her party as she revealed she would not be standing for re-election after seven years as the party’s women and equalities convenor.
Ahmed-Sheikh writes: “Look around the Scottish Parliament. How many women of colour are SNP MSPs? None. How many from other parties? None. How many Government special advisers? None. How many SNP researchers? Perhaps one or two.”
READ: Where are all the high-profile women of colour in the SNP ranks?
SNP has a long line of potential women of colour waiting to pick up the SNP parliamentary torch. We have work to do.”
There are very few BAME females in elected positions in Scottish politics, and only one parliamentarian – Tory Baroness Nosheena Mobarik is one of the country’s six MEPs. In Holyrood, just two of the country’s 129 MSPs are not white - the SNP’s Humza Yousaf and Labour’s Anas Sarwar.
Ahmed-Sheikh says she wants to spend time “encouraging the emergence of a cadre of women of colour ready and willing to take their place as representatives of a truly national movement which reflects the face of all of Scotland.”
A spokesman for the SNP said: “Tasmina has been a tremendous advocate for equality within the SNP and beyond.
“While we’ve achieved a great deal, it’s absolutely the case that there’s significant distance left to travel to ensure that women and minorities are better represented across public life in Scotland.”
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