Pauline Pearce will represent Hackney Lib Dems and will debate with Diane Abbott and others. This is the information from the flyer;

-------------------------------------------------------------------

The Arts in Harmony Network, in partnership with: Hackney Unites, Operation Black Vote & LB Hackney Library Services

Friday April 12th 2013 18:30 - 21:00 Dalston CLR James Library, Dalston Square, Hackney London E8 3BQ

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE BLACK VOTE

Discussion about the impact, importance, patterns and relevance of votes cast by Hackney people of African/Caribbean heritage in over the last 40 years

This will be the second annual event following the successful campaign in 2011 by BEMA and its partners in the community to ensure that the name of CLR James was retained when the library was rebuilt as part of the Dalston Square Development.

A consequence of the Government’s current austerity measures is the increasingly scarce resources available to boroughs such as Hackney; it seems though that some communities continue to lose out more than others. At the same time all the major parties are developing strategies on how to attract members and votes from perhaps the most diverse electorate ever. With the younger generations in particular ever more reluctant to exercise their democratic options, the question being posed more and more often by black people is:

WHY VOTE?

The degree to which this community has achieved proportionate representation in terms of elected Councillors and the extent to which the borough’s cultural diversity has been reflected in the formulation and implementation of its policies will be examined.

Join Diane Abbott (Member of Parliament for Stoke Newington & Hackney North), Jules Pipe (Mayor of Hackney), Ngoma Bishop (BEMA), Pauline Pearce (Hackney Lib Dems) and others to address that question. The Hackney Conservative and the Hackney Green parties have also been invited to attend.

Keynote speaker Simon Woolley from Operation Black Vote

The event will be chaired by Andrea Enisuoh of BEMA & Hackney Unites

Electoral Services will be on hand to answer queries about registering to vote

To book your place: http://blackvoteinhackney.eventbrite.co.uk

If you have difficulty accessing the site email bemaarts@googlemail.com to book