Issan Ghazni, chair of EMLD, expressed delight at the Lib Dem's victory in the Eastleigh byelection today and praised the efforts of many EMLD members who campaigned for Mike Thornton in the Hampshire seat.

Thornton held Eastleigh in difficult circumstances for the party, the first time a party in government had successfully defended a seat for many years.

EMLD held a successful AGM on Saturday (16^th February). The turn-out of 30 members was encouraging considering that the main attraction - a conference on race equality - had been postponed in order to take a battlebus to campaign in the Eastleigh byelection.

In addition, many of the positions had been elected unopposed. Considering these factors I was delighted at the turn-out at the party HQ in Westminster.

EMLD made a big impact at the Eastleigh byelection on Saturday, taking a large contingent of members to Hampshire on Saturday (16^th February) to canvass for candidate Mike Thornton.

We drove to the constituency in a battle-bus after holding our Annual General Meeting at the party HQ in Westminster.

We received positive feedback about the impact of EMLD and also met Nick Clegg who visited the local campaign HQ in Eastleigh after touring the local area.

The returning officer has revealed the EMLD executive positions where members were elected unopposed. However there are still positions to be filled and we hope EMLD members will attend the AGM which will take place this Saturday, 16th February, at 11.15am to be held at the Liberal Democrats' HQ: 8-10 Great George Street, Westminster, SW1P 3AE.

The EMLD Annual General Meeting is going ahead as planned for this Saturday, 16th February, however there is now a change of venue.

The AGM will now be held at the Liberal Democrats' HQ in Westminster - address: 8-10 Great George Street, Westminster, SW1P 3AE.

Please note the AGM will start at 11.15am sharp! We need at least 20 members to be quorate and very much hope you can attend.

Simon Hughes, the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, along with Tom Brake MP and Baroness Meral Hussein-Ece OBE will be speaking at an unprecedented Lib Dem special conference on race equality.

The conference on Saturday 16^th February has been organised jointly by the Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats and the party's mainstream grouping the Social Liberal Forum. It has growing support, including from the Lib Dem Disability Association and Liberal Youth, the party's youth wing.

EMLD is joining forces with Social Liberal Forum for our first joint Conference entitled "Race Equality - A Liberal Democrat Approach".

The event will be held on

Date: Saturday 16 February 2013

Time: 10am- 5.30pm

Venue: Hughes Parry Hall, 19-26 Cartwright Gardens London WC1H 9EF (nearest tube stations Euston, Kings Cross and Russell Square)

Notice of Annual General Meeting of Ethnic Minority Liberal Democrats

Date: Saturday 16 February 2013

Time: 12.30 noon - 1.30 pm

Venue: Hughes Parry Hall, Cartwright Gardens, London WC1H 9EF

Nomination forms are now available for the following posts:

(current post-holders in brackets)

Chair (Issan Ghazni)

Three vice-chairs* (Rabi Martins, James Jennings, Aqila Chowdhury)