On Wednesday evening, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg hosted a dinner to celebrate the successes and outstanding contribution of British Asians and to build on the close ties between the Lib Dems and leading Asian dignitaries.
In his speech at the dinner, Mr Clegg expressed his gratitude for the vital role Asians play in British society: Lib Dems have always valued the immense contribution Asians in Britain have made. Just looking around this room I am honoured to be in the presence of so many luminaries who have achieved so much, whether it be in the field of business, science, law, the arts and entertainment or charity. Lib Dems are committed to breaking down social barriers and bringing about equality and fairness, and you can rest assured that my colleagues and I will be doing all we can in government to create a fair society where people can flourish and reach their potential no matter what their background or ethnicity.
Among the high-profile guests dining with the Deputy Prime Ministers were leading music producers Rishi Rich and Waleed Jahangir. Commenting on the evening, Rishi said it was great to meet Nick and other Lib Dem representatives and hear what they had to say. I was encouraged that the Liberal Democrats stand firm in their commitment to breaking down barriers, and Nick seemed like a really genuine, decent guy. I look forward to working with Nick and the Lib Dems in the future to see what we can do to engage Asian youth, who are too often ignored by other parties, in the political process.
Rishi Rich Productions alongside their agency Mumbai Rouge are currently in discussions with the Lib Dem Party to develop and implement strategies to get ethnic youth involved in politics.
The dinner was hosted at Indali Lounge, the ‘healthiest curry house in the world’. Dr Kartar Lalvani OBE, founder of Vitabiotics and creator of the Indali Lounge concept, said, “it was a real pleasure to have Mr Clegg here with us. I’m a long-standing supporter of the Lib Dems and have always been impressed with their passion and determination to fight hard on behalf of under-represented groups. Mr Clegg has dined at Indali before, and I was overjoyed to welcome him back as the Deputy Prime Minister! I believe the coalition government has got off to a great start and I am just delighted to see many of the Lib Dems’ progressive policies becoming Government priorities.”