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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/oct/03/theresa-may-race-equality-report-racism-inequality-britain
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| Memo to Theresa May: yet another report won’t fix race inequality | Memo to Theresa May: yet another report won’t fix race inequality |
| (4 months later) | |
| Tue 3 Oct 2017 19.15 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 16.00 GMT | |
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| I’ve learned a lot about the history of racism in Britain lately. The question I keep asking – reading Charles Dickens’ jokes about “niggers”, Winston Churchill’s views of the British as “a higher-grade race”, or the widespread experience of being beaten to a pulp by the police in the 1970s – is when was the moment that Britain changed? | I’ve learned a lot about the history of racism in Britain lately. The question I keep asking – reading Charles Dickens’ jokes about “niggers”, Winston Churchill’s views of the British as “a higher-grade race”, or the widespread experience of being beaten to a pulp by the police in the 1970s – is when was the moment that Britain changed? |
| Was it the Race Relations Act of 1976, which for the first time outlawed race discrimination? Was it the Scarman report of 1981, with its damning indictment of the reality for black inner-city communities? Was it the Macpherson report in 1996 after the death of Stephen Lawrence, which brought “institutional racism” into the lexicon? Was it New Labour in 1997, putting race equality and human rights centre stage? Was it the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié in 2000? Was it the Race at Work survey of 2015, which found that 30% of ethnic minority people still experienced racial harassment in the workplace? | Was it the Race Relations Act of 1976, which for the first time outlawed race discrimination? Was it the Scarman report of 1981, with its damning indictment of the reality for black inner-city communities? Was it the Macpherson report in 1996 after the death of Stephen Lawrence, which brought “institutional racism” into the lexicon? Was it New Labour in 1997, putting race equality and human rights centre stage? Was it the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié in 2000? Was it the Race at Work survey of 2015, which found that 30% of ethnic minority people still experienced racial harassment in the workplace? |
| Was it earlier this year, when Ruby McGregor-Smith found that ethnic minority employees were being subjected to, and were internalising, discrimination? Was it last month, when David Lammy reported on the over-representation of BME people in the criminal justice system? Was it last week, when Operation Black Vote found that power in Britain was still white? Or will it be this month, when Theresa May publishes her audit of racial disparities in public services, revealing – she has already promised – “difficult truths”? | Was it earlier this year, when Ruby McGregor-Smith found that ethnic minority employees were being subjected to, and were internalising, discrimination? Was it last month, when David Lammy reported on the over-representation of BME people in the criminal justice system? Was it last week, when Operation Black Vote found that power in Britain was still white? Or will it be this month, when Theresa May publishes her audit of racial disparities in public services, revealing – she has already promised – “difficult truths”? |
| The truth is that none of these reports marks the radical turning point that we need. The best evidence of this is that each report is soon succeeded by a further report confirming the same problems exist. Their frequency is becoming bewildering, even to someone, like me, who unequivocally welcomes the project of addressing our historic legacy of injustice. | The truth is that none of these reports marks the radical turning point that we need. The best evidence of this is that each report is soon succeeded by a further report confirming the same problems exist. Their frequency is becoming bewildering, even to someone, like me, who unequivocally welcomes the project of addressing our historic legacy of injustice. |
| May’s audit is needed, because there are still huge gaps in our data. Once we have that, I doubt we need many more reports. Scarman’s came out the year I was born. I have now made it into my mid-30s hearing the same message delivered with consistent repetition and clarity, only to be largely ignored by each successive government. Reveal the extent of the problem, confront it honestly, and change it. Recognise that doing nothing is not a neutral act. Nor is simply commissioning more reports. | May’s audit is needed, because there are still huge gaps in our data. Once we have that, I doubt we need many more reports. Scarman’s came out the year I was born. I have now made it into my mid-30s hearing the same message delivered with consistent repetition and clarity, only to be largely ignored by each successive government. Reveal the extent of the problem, confront it honestly, and change it. Recognise that doing nothing is not a neutral act. Nor is simply commissioning more reports. |
| Black listed Britons | Black listed Britons |
| Back in 2002, when the BBC launched a “100 Britons” campaign in which the public could vote for the greatest Brit of all time, the only nod to diversity was the inclusion of Freddie Mercury. Winston Churchill topped the list and not a single person of African heritage was included. In response, the genealogist and filmmaker Patrick Vernon launched 100 Great Black Britons, introducing the nation to figures such as Mary Seacole, who had been left to sink into obscurity. | Back in 2002, when the BBC launched a “100 Britons” campaign in which the public could vote for the greatest Brit of all time, the only nod to diversity was the inclusion of Freddie Mercury. Winston Churchill topped the list and not a single person of African heritage was included. In response, the genealogist and filmmaker Patrick Vernon launched 100 Great Black Britons, introducing the nation to figures such as Mary Seacole, who had been left to sink into obscurity. |
| Vernon is now relaunching his list for this, the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in the UK. It speaks volumes that we need a separate list to acknowledge black British contributions, just as we apparently need a separate month to acknowledge black British history. But we are where we are, and Vernon’s work is outstanding. | Vernon is now relaunching his list for this, the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in the UK. It speaks volumes that we need a separate list to acknowledge black British contributions, just as we apparently need a separate month to acknowledge black British history. But we are where we are, and Vernon’s work is outstanding. |
| Reality television | Reality television |
| Black history isn’t the only kind that has been left untold. It is now official that the Irish potato famine – which reduced the population of Ireland by as much as one quarter through death and emigration – actually happened, because it has appeared in an episode of the ITV drama Victoria. | Black history isn’t the only kind that has been left untold. It is now official that the Irish potato famine – which reduced the population of Ireland by as much as one quarter through death and emigration – actually happened, because it has appeared in an episode of the ITV drama Victoria. |
| People in Britain took to social media to reveal they were learning about it for the first time. “What a very sad ending”, tweeted one. If confronting shameful episodes in history threatens our identity – as some have complained – it’s certainly leaving our trademark art of understatement intact. | People in Britain took to social media to reveal they were learning about it for the first time. “What a very sad ending”, tweeted one. If confronting shameful episodes in history threatens our identity – as some have complained – it’s certainly leaving our trademark art of understatement intact. |
| Race issues | |
| Notebook | |
| Inequality | |
| Stephen Lawrence | |
| Black History Month | |
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