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Labour withdraws cheaper tickets for minorities

The UK’s Labour Party has withdrawn its discount tickets for black and minority people that wish to hear Jeremy Corbyn speak in the East Midlands.

Concerns were raised by the Conservative Party after BAME (black and minority ethnic) activists were given the option to pay £30 to listen to the Labour leader, while other patrons were charged £40.

The Conservatives complained to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) that the tiered pricing is “racist and patronising”. Labour claims the move was subsidising tickets for its East Midlands Regional Conference to “encourage participation from under represented groups.”

East Midlands Labour has now withdrawn the discounted tickets.

The EHRC told the Leicester Mercury newspaper: “Charging people different rates because of their race is unlawful discrimination unless it can be shown that this is a proportionate way of addressing low levels of participation.

“We will be writing to the Labour Party to ask them for their justification for this policy.”

An East Midlands Labour party spokeswoman said: “The Labour Party is taking advice on other ways we can increase the representation of BAME members at East Midlands Regional Conference in February.

“The intention behind the BAME pass was to increase the representation of under-represented groups which remains a priority for the party.”

Image: Chatham House