Political parties must exploit the "Obama effect" to encourage more people from ethnic minorities to get into politics, MPs have been told.
The excitement caused by Barack Obama's election must be "seized upon", MPs looking at how to increase the diversity of Parliament have heard.
Parties must employ "talent spotters" to recruit people and to help break down institutional barriers to change.
Parliament is looking at ways it can be become more representative of society.
Cynicism
A special committee of MPs, known as a Speaker's conference, is looking at reasons why more women, people with disabilities and from ethnic minority backgrounds do not put themselves forward for election or get selected as candidates.
Speakers' conferences are a rarely used device to encourage electoral reform, the last having been held in 1978.
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