KENNEDY TO VISIT NEASDEN TEMPLE

12.57.45pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 19th Feb 2005

Charles Kennedy and Sarah Teather MP

Charles Kennedy, Leader of the Liberal Democrats, will address 2000 people at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Temple in Neasden today in the same week that the Liberal Democrat's launched their Ethnic Minority Mini-Manifesto. Mr Kennedy will be joined at the Indian Temple by Sarah Teather, MP for Brent East and Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader in the House of Lords, Lord Navnit Dholakia.

Mr Kennedy will say to his audience:

"The reality of Britain today is that it is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-faith and therefore diverse society. It is a richer society as a result - culturally, socially and financially. The diversity that we see around us also reminds us that we are part of a wider global community. The Liberal Democrats embrace that Britain and we celebrate it. We would ensure that our laws reflect that diversity, protecting minorities from discrimination, from victimisation and harassment. And giving all people the opportunity to stand on their own to feet and make a decent living.

Labour can no longer lay exclusive claim to the votes of Britain's ethnic minorities. Many people in Britain, of all races, cultures and religions, were angry about the way we were taken to war in Iraq. And they saw the principled stand the Liberal Democrats took at the time.

We want to restore Britain's reputation on the world stage, fighting international poverty, and climate change, protecting human rights and civil liberties and pushing to make sure that free trade is fair for all. And we would promote a balanced approach to tackling terrorism. That means tough measures to make Britain safe - but not at the expense of people's fundamental legal rights like has happened at Belmarsh. It means acting through the United Nations on terrorism, but recognising that that means tackling the causes of terrorism - inequality and oppression. It means opposing the government's misguided identity card scheme and it means that war must always be used as a last resort."