The Labour Friends of India (LFIN) held a successful West London reception on Thursday evening (25 July 2019) in Ealing.
The event, attended by MPs, London Assembly Members, London councillors and party activists was addressed by the co-chair, Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor of London for Business. Other speakers included Steve Pound MP and Virendra Sharma MP.
Speaking at the event, Mr Agrawal said, “People from around the world have made London their home. London welcomed me with open arms in 2001 when I made my first journey outside India arriving with £200 in the pocket. With opportunity and hard work, I created two successful businesses, but not everyone gets those opportunities.
“Sadly, inequality exists and one in four Londoners live in poverty. I joined politics to change that and to create a fairer and equal society. Labour Friends of India introduced me to the Labour Party."
Steve Pound MP, one of the founding members of the LFIN said, “LFIN was established in 1999 and is the oldest parliamentary group on India. He emphasized importance of bilateral relationship between UK and India”.
Virendra Sharma MP said, “There are over 1.5m people of Indian origin in the UK and India is one of the fastest growing major economies in the world. Vibrant Indian diaspora is bridge between UK and India.”
LFIN is a community of Labour party members, supporters and political office holders that aspires to strengthen the relationship between British Indians and the Labour Party. It also strives to fortify the age-old relationship between the UK and India, the world’s oldest democracy and the world’s largest.
A recent Foreign Affairs Committee report concluded that the UK is falling behind in the global race to engage with India. India's place in the world is changing fast and the UK government needs to adjust its strategy to fit India's enhanced influence and power; the UK cannot afford to be complacent or rely on historical ties.
