LABOUR needs to implement decisions to ensure it has more black and minority ethnic (BAME) candidates in local and parliamentary elections, a grassroots campaign group says.

Grassroots Black Left (GBL) welcomed Labour’s commitment at its annual conference to tackle the under-representation of BAME people as candidates, but argued the party leadership “must act to make it happen.”

GBL co-chair Deborah Hobson said: “Grassroots Black Left calls on Labour to act on its commitment to greater black representation by encouraging local parties to have voluntary all-black shortlists and all-black-women shortlists in its selections for representatives to hold public office.

“We know the argument is used that mandatory all-black shortlists fall outside the law. But there have been voluntary ones based on positive action that have resulted in a black MP being elected.”

GBL said BAME voters secure the election of 50 Labour MPs.