WHO WE ARE
East and Southeast Asians for Labour (formerly “Chinese for Labour”) was formed in 1999. We work to ensure that those from East and Southeast Asian backgrounds are represented in the Labour Party, to inform Labour’s policies on the issues that matter to our communities, and to advocate for Labour within our communities.
WHAT WE DO
Chinese, East and Southeast Asian people have a long history in the UK, with the first communities arriving in Liverpool and London in the 1800s. Now, there are hundreds of thousands of British East and Southeast Asians up and down the country.
However, while ESEA communities are deeply embedded in British society, we are poorly represented in UK politics. There are only two MPs of East and Southeast Asian descent in the House of Commons. Many ESEA communities face barriers to political engagement, including from differences in language and culture. ESEA for Labour wants to see Labour leading the way by encouraging better representation in the Party.
We also seek to inform the Party on current policy issues relevant to ESEA people. Since the emergence of COVID-19, there has been an increase in anti-Asian racism. Meanwhile, friends and relatives of our communities have suffered from events abroad, including the erosion of democracy and human rights abuses in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Myanmar. We want Labour to have robust responses to these issues, while ensuring hatred and division never win.
INVITE US TO SPEAK AT YOUR EVENT
We’d love to tell you more about the issues faced by ESEA communities, and the ways in which the wider Labour movement can help us. Someone from our Executive Committee would be happy to speak as part of a panel event– just get in touch with us on the email below.
BECOME A MEMBER
Any Labour member can join us – sign up on our website to receive our email updates and event invitations. If you have East or Southeast Asian heritage, we would especially love to have you on board! We can connect you with other friendly ESEAs in Labour, advise you on political involvement, and support you if you want to run in an election. Drop us a line at the email below if you’d like to hear more.
GET IN TOUCH
The best way to get in touch is to drop us a line at [email protected] You can also connect with us on Twitter (@ESEA4Labour) and Facebook.