The government has set out its long-term vision to tackle racial disparities in the UK with changes to policing, health and education.
More than 70 measures are part of the new “Inclusive Britain” action plan.
It includes increased scrutiny of how police use stop and search powers and improvements to how ethnic data is collected.
Inclusive Britain has developed in response to the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
That led to the establishment of a Commission on Racial and Ethnic Disparities, which made a series of recommendations for reform, grouped around three key themes: building trust, promoting equity, and creating agency.
- “The UK is not deliberately manipulated against ethnic minorities”
- British Black History You May Not Know
The new measures include:
- A new national framework for police powers, such as stop and search, with greater scrutiny at the local level
- An “opt-in” autopilot to help ethnic minorities and others receive legal advice when in police custody
- A new Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to improve health for all
- A diverse panel of historians to develop a new knowledge-rich model history curriculum for 2024, exploring Britain’s storied past.
- Guidance for employers on how to measure and address the ethnic pay gap
Equality Minister Kemi Badenoch MP said: “This is at the heart of our leveling agenda. It is broader and more far-reaching than any review we have ever had on race and ethnicity in this country.”
“The causes behind racial disparities are complex and often poorly understood.
“Our new strategy is about action, not rhetoric, and will help create a country where a person’s race, social or ethnic origin is not a barrier to achieving their ambitions.”
The announcement builds on Leveling Up’s white paper released last month, which aims to distribute opportunities more equitably across the country.
Inclusive Britain was officially launched to business leaders, charities and public figures in Birmingham.
Somia Bibi from Himaya Haven, a support group in Birmingham that helps families of loved ones in custody and prison, said racism remains a problem in some parts of the UK.
“Institutional racism comes in many forms, especially in the criminal justice system,” he said.
“We found that our family members are disproportionately from South Asian and black communities, and if you look at the makeup of the prison system, race is a factor.”
But Naseam Kaid, coordinator of Streetwatch in Birmingham, thinks good progress is being made.
“You see a lot of Asian and black officers now, especially in my neighborhood,” he said.
“Now there is more diversity and better training in police work.”
Last year’s independent commission was heavily criticized for downplaying the impact of racism and systemic barriers faced by ethnic minority communities.
And Halima Begum, chief executive of the Runnymede Trust, says the proposed changes don’t go far enough.
“We welcome any measure that begins to address racial and socioeconomic disparities,” he said.
“But we must not forget how much black and minority ethnic communities have suffered in the last two years as a result of covid-19.
“We don’t want to see the government giving ethnic minority communities with one hand and taking away with the other, but whole-of-government action is needed to address racial disparities in our society.”
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