Conservative Parliamentary Candidates Norsheen Bhatti (Liverpool Walton), Ed McRandal (Liverpool West Derby), and James Pearson (Liverpool Wavertree) visited the Al Ghazali local community centre to meet with the communities attending the centre.
They were invited to discuss the Conservative party manifesto and to hear in more detail the concerns and issues affecting the multi-cultural communities in Liverpool.
A variety of topics were discussed including education, the local economy, hate crime and the situation in Yemen and the consequences for British nationals currently there.
The Al-Ghazali multi-cultural centre is a community centre that responds to the needs of the diverse local community through the delivery of various projects and activities which promote inclusion and cohesion.
James Pearson (Wavertree) will be attending a hustings on Wednesday, 22 April at the centre.
Speaking about their visit the candidates said:
Norsheen Bhatti: My parents were immigrants, coming from Pakistan, they arrived in Britain in the 1960’s and so I was really pleased to attend the meeting and learn about the issues affecting the local multi-cultural community in Liverpool. I also believe that regardless of your ethnicity, religion and where you come from, the very issues that concern our local communities are the same, which include providing the best education for our children, the local economy, international conflicts and tackling crime and anti-social behaviour.
Ed McRandal: Liverpool is a great city which attracts people from all over the world. We have the UK’s oldest Chinese community, a substantial Yemeni population and a proud range of diverse groups. Centres like Al-Ghazali play a crucial role in promoting tolerance and understanding – values which are at the heart of the British way of life. For Liverpool to be successful, we need our local communities to flourish. This means helping, not strangling local businesses; tackling intolerance; and promoting a sense of community.
James Pearson: It was great to meet the team at the centre and have a frank exchange of views. I am really looking forward to coming back on 22nd and take part in the debate with the candidates from the other parties. I am confident that the conservative values we share will be prominent over the next 4 weeks.