Mentoring program for politicians from the Indian community into Parliamentary and other political roles

The Mahatma Gandhi Future Leaders Program (MGFLP) is a mentoring and leadership program launched by Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader and chair of the Labour Party in August 2020. First, of its kind for the Indian community, the Program has been conceptualized, designed, and led by Mr. Uday Nagaraju, the Founding Director of MGFLP.

MGFLP is part of Labour Friends of India, a group that preserves the interests of the Indian community in the Labour Party. The group is co-chaired by Darren Jones MP and Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor of London for Business.

The Mahatma Gandhi Future Leader’s Program (MGFLP) develops the political skills of the new generation of political leaders from the Indian community in the United Kingdom. The Program focuses on enhancing and growing new talent in the Labour Party across the local, regional, and national government.

The candidates were required to go through a thorough selection process. Out of a large number of applications 15 candidates were selected based on their community work, Labour activity and role in UK India relations. The candidates selected include previous parliamentary candidates, mayors, cabinet members, political advisor of the Labour party leader Keir Starmer, entrepreneurs, community leaders, academics.

The committed, dedicated, and hardworking Cohort and the team are very diverse - 40% women, various faiths, sexuality, disability, and to an extent geographical regions and cultures of India.

The program followed a multidimensional and multipronged approach training and is supported by official training team of the Labour Party. The methodology comprised of mentoring sessions, Brainstorming, real-life Simulation exercises.

The program comprised of around  14 mentoring sessions from top leadership of Labour Party including  Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Annelise Dodds, Chairperson of Labour Party, David Evans, General Secretary, Seema Malhotra, MP and Shadow Minister, Claire Ainsley, Director of Policy at leader’s office, Parliamentarians Virendra Sharma, Darren Jones, Navendu Mishra, Mete Coban, Council Cabinet member and youth leader who increased youth participation in elections at a national level, Greg Burton, Director of Election Support, Campaign Delivery, Local Government and Training, Paul Upex, Richard Bennett who head elections and campaign.

The political skills framework designed by Uday Nagaraju inspired by the framework of Fabian Women’s Network focused on six dimensions – Political understanding, Workings of The Labour Party, Standing for Political Office, Organising and Campaigning, Communication and Policymaking.

The Program also enabled boosting public speaking through simulation exercises held every week where the cohort is given the chance to enhance their public speaking skills and policy analysis in a political atmosphere. In the exercises, the cohort is given a topic and the members are divided into groups whereby, they debate and defend their topic as per the side and whip. There will be on-the-spot media rounds, arguments and counterarguments on a specific policy, and also the opportunity to take the role of chair, leader of opposition and leader of the government. After 5 fruitful months in the program, the cohort completed through an assessment. Some candidates had to retake the assessment.

The graduation ceremony of the candidates was held at the Labour Party Headquarters in London. The General Secretary David Evans presented the official certificates along with Co-Chairs of Labour Friends of India Rajesh Agrawal and Darren Jones MP, Uday Nagaraju, Founding Director and Sam Juthani, Co-Director.

Post the successful completion of the Mahatma Gandhi Future Leaders Program, the Program aims to generate a network where the cohort can stay in touch and help each other towards strengthening their political journey.

Uday Nagaraju mentioned that he hopes to see candidates from the first cohort in parliaments and assemblies and will continue to support them.

Rajesh Agrawal emphasized that Labour Friends of India will continue to work for the Indian community in the UK and work to strengthen the friendly ties between UK and India.

David Evans appreciated Labour Friends of India for the successful completion of the program.

Mentoring program for politicians from the Indian community into Parliamentary and other political roles

The Mahatma Gandhi Future Leaders Program (MGFLP) is a mentoring and leadership program launched by Angela Rayner, the Deputy Leader and chair of the Labour Party in August 2020. First, of its kind for the Indian community, the Program has been conceptualized, designed, and led by Mr. Uday Nagaraju, the Founding Director of MGFLP.

MGFLP is part of Labour Friends of India, a group that preserves the interests of the Indian community in the Labour Party. The group is co-chaired by Darren Jones MP and Rajesh Agrawal, Deputy Mayor of London for Business.

The Mahatma Gandhi Future Leader’s Program (MGFLP) develops the political skills of the new generation of political leaders from the Indian community in the United Kingdom. The Program focuses on enhancing and growing new talent in the Labour Party across the local, regional, and national government.

The candidates were required to go through a thorough selection process. Out of a large number of applications 15 candidates were selected based on their community work, Labour activity and role in UK India relations. The candidates selected include previous parliamentary candidates, mayors, cabinet members, political advisor of the Labour party leader Keir Starmer, entrepreneurs, community leaders, academics.

The committed, dedicated, and hardworking Cohort and the team are very diverse - 40% women, various faiths, sexuality, disability, and to an extent geographical regions and cultures of India.

The program followed a multidimensional and multipronged approach training and is supported by official training team of the Labour Party. The methodology comprised of mentoring sessions, Brainstorming, real-life Simulation exercises.

The program comprised of around  14 mentoring sessions from top leadership of Labour Party including  Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, Annelise Dodds, Chairperson of Labour Party, David Evans, General Secretary, Seema Malhotra, MP and Shadow Minister, Claire Ainsley, Director of Policy at leader’s office, Parliamentarians Virendra Sharma, Darren Jones, Navendu Mishra, Mete Coban, Council Cabinet member and youth leader who increased youth participation in elections at a national level, Greg Burton, Director of Election Support, Campaign Delivery, Local Government and Training, Paul Upex, Richard Bennett who head elections and campaign.

The political skills framework designed by Uday Nagaraju inspired by the framework of Fabian Women’s Network focused on six dimensions – Political understanding, Workings of The Labour Party, Standing for Political Office, Organising and Campaigning, Communication and Policymaking.

The Program also enabled boosting public speaking through simulation exercises held every week where the cohort is given the chance to enhance their public speaking skills and policy analysis in a political atmosphere. In the exercises, the cohort is given a topic and the members are divided into groups whereby, they debate and defend their topic as per the side and whip. There will be on-the-spot media rounds, arguments and counterarguments on a specific policy, and also the opportunity to take the role of chair, leader of opposition and leader of the government. After 5 fruitful months in the program, the cohort completed through an assessment. Some candidates had to retake the assessment.

The graduation ceremony of the candidates was held at the Labour Party Headquarters in London. The General Secretary David Evans presented the official certificates along with Co-Chairs of Labour Friends of India Rajesh Agrawal and Darren Jones MP, Uday Nagaraju, Founding Director and Sam Juthani, Co-Director.

Post the successful completion of the Mahatma Gandhi Future Leaders Program, the Program aims to generate a network where the cohort can stay in touch and help each other towards strengthening their political journey.

Uday Nagaraju mentioned that he hopes to see candidates from the first cohort in parliaments and assemblies and will continue to support them.

Rajesh Agrawal emphasized that Labour Friends of India will continue to work for the Indian community in the UK and work to strengthen the friendly ties between UK and India.

David Evans appreciated Labour Friends of India for the successful completion of the program.