Mosaic Ambassador Rt Hon Sadiq Khan MP was joined by Shabana Mahmood MP, Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP and Mark Carroll at the Jubliee Room, House of Parliament in London on 3rd June. The group met to discuss the difficulties currently facing people from minority and deprived communities in ‘breaking the glass ceiling’ to not only entering, but also prospering in UK politics.

Mosaic Associates was delighted to host the event which was part of Mosaic’s involvement with The Patchwork Foundation; a politically neutral organisation that aims to promote and encourage the positive integration of deprived and minority communities into British political society.

The event involved over 120 young future political leaders from various schools, colleges and universities from across the UK. Mosaic Board members and other supporters were also invited to this unique engagement event.

Rt Hon Keith Vaz MP commented: “It has been wonderful to see students from across the country here today. It’s one thing to tell these youngsters that they too can achieve, it’s quite another to show them those who HAVE achieved and who HAVE broken through that ceiling. Mosaic is doing some fantastic work in supporting young people and I will look out for one of these youngsters in a few years!”

The roll call of names in attendance at the event, who have themselves broken through the glass ceiling, was remarkable. The list included: Sadiq Khan, who was appointed to the Privy Council and was asked to attend Cabinet meetings, becoming both the first Asian and the first Muslim to do so. Shabana Mahmood who made history in becoming one of the first Muslim women, and one of the first Asian women, to be elected to Parliament in 2010. Keith Vaz who is the first elected Asian Member of Parliament since Shapurji Saklatvala in the 1920s, and remains the longest-standing Asian MP and Mark Carroll who is one of the most senior BAME civil servants and works in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Mosaic’s National Director, and member of the National Advisory Board for Patchwork, Jonathan Freeman added: “An important part of Mosaic’s work is raising the aspirations of young people and showing them that they are important stakeholders in society. This event was a fantastic opportunity to make this very real for them, providing great access to important role models in political life.”