No. 324

DECEMBER Bulletin 2000 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY

This Estimable Report As each year closes, publications of all types look back at the media year to gain perspective on what have been the contentious issues, either in their own pages or those of other publications. At the end of Year 2000, we postpone our review of the year’s major themes in favour of an examination of how the report on The Future of Multi- Ethnic Britain has been received since its official launch on 11 October. Substantial extracts from two key speeches made at launch events are featured. Positive assessments and assorted ‘messages of support’ demonstrate that those who read the report find much to praise. However, our review takes full account of the initial national press coverage, from moderate welcome to immoderate criticism.We’ve appended an exhaustive list of published articles and papers ‘for the record’ and for the use of future researchers maybe.We begin, however, with some observations from Dr Samir Shah, Chair of the Runnymede Trust.

Six days before the launch of the Hague deserves the highest praise of the MEB report, a group of for attacking the Macpherson moment does Samir Shah: Commissioners and Trustees report’ – this in an editorial on the not deflect from the substantive ‘We have been gathered at the Runnymede Trust day that its own front page says: issues of the day. down this road offices to discuss the prospects for ‘Mr Hague’s attack was blunted by And there is a lot of that in this before’. press coverage. Should we lead on an embarrassing mistake’.We have estimable report. Its the call to declare Britain a been down this road before.The recommendations are thorough multicultural state? Too vague, battle lines certainly seem to be and far-reaching.The objective thought some. Perhaps the Equity being drawn up. now is to focus attention on the Plans for corporations? Too But Runnymede is used to specific areas – education, police technical thought others.What marching towards the sound of and policing, health and welfare, about something topical like the gunfire.We have had over 30 employment, politics and Refugee situation? Frankly, we years’ experience in this complex representation.The list is were worried that such a and sensitive field. Born during the formidable and covers all areas of thoughtful, reflective, almost Powellite years of the late 1960s, civic life. It is imperative to get academic report would simply not Runnymede has lived through these recommendations discussed be ‘sexy’ enough for the fickle riots in the streets, immigration and debated. Fourth Estate. panics and politicians playing the Runnymede has an essential Hmm. A right-wing press, race card.Through it all, role to play in this next phase.We determined at all costs (particularly Runnymede has made a significant are tasked to organise truth) to use the report as and substantial contribution to conferences and seminars at Runnymede ammunition to fire at New Labour, race relations in legislation and which particular parts of the has built a combined with political expediency policy development. On this report are considered; to reputation to wrongfoot all of us. And that history, Runnymede has built a collaborate with other for indepen- self-same press has now unleashed reputation for independent, organisations in reviewing, dent, original its pent-up anger on the original and, on occasion, monitoring and evaluating the and, on Macpherson report.The same provocative thinking. Runnymede response.This is a central part of occasion, newspaper that misquoted the is well versed in the practice of our work in the New Year and will provocative MEB report now writes:‘William ensuring that the sound and fury be a priority for our new Director. thinking.

ISSN: 0965-7762 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 1 Launching the Report: Responses from Government

(1) A Very British Contribution do I have any interest in the MULTI-ETHNIC Extracts from the transcript of the speech rewriting of history. History is BRITAIN made by the Home Secretary, the Rt Hon not in the ownership of the Secretary of State … There are Jack Straw MP, at the launch of The Future as many views about the of Multi-Ethnic Britain at the Royal interpretation of history as there Commonwealth Society,Wednesday 11 are individual historians and there October 2000. can never be a single view of history, nor has there been. Of Please note: the full transcript can be read at course, there is a national story in www.runnymedetrust.org/meb. Mr Straw was welcomed and introduced by Dr Kate Gavron, the broadest sense. As Bhikhu vice-chair of the Commission. She referred in said, we can’t rewrite the facts of her opening remarks to the fact that he had that.We can argue, and I say we spoken at the occasion in January 1998 should, about the interpretation when the Commission was first set up. we place on the facts. Indeed there is a great historiographical Bhikhu Parekh, Your Excellencies, Bhikhu, ladies colleagues, Oxford University Press, issue about what are the facts, Chair of the Commission on and gentlemen. You’re quite right 1969], as of course was the work and of course the very selection the Future of to say that 2 or 3 years ago I was earlier in the 1960s which led my of different facts itself involves Multi-Ethnic pleased to attend the launch of party to, at that time, take what very subjective judgements. And Britain this Commission, set up by the was a very courageous decision – we’re all products of our history Runnymede Trust, and I’m very given all the filth that had – but there is no reason at all for pleased to be here today on the occurred at the time of the 1964 us to be trapped by one view of launch of the publication of the election – to plough ahead with our past as we look to the future. report. I’d also like, in making this good race relations policies and Now, I welcome all introduction, to express my to set us out on a road which by contributions to the debate about thanks for the very important no means has turned out to be how we promote racial equality contribution which the one of perfection (there are many in this country. Some aspects of Runnymede Trust has made over problems) but nonetheless a road the report are entirely with the the years to the strengthening of of very great importance and grain of what the Government is race relations and the highlighting progress. doing already; some are critical of of problems in that respect. This report … is of course the us, but no minister should be … One of the things I think Commission’s and it’s not mine. I afraid of criticism and, as I think we can be quietly pleased about welcome the contribution. I many people here know, I’m in this country is that, for all the woke up yesterday to read the always happy and ready to engage problems that we have, we have Daily Telegraph – the Daily in a robust argument. Most of better race relations than (I say Telegraph is an important the responsibilities of the Home advisedly) almost any other newspaper, and it has had a Office and of the European country that I can think record of separating its news Home Secretary of, and in many ways better race coverage which, on the are important relations than those in the United whole, has broadly ones.The whole States. It hasn’t happened by subscribed to the facts, area of crime, accident; it is partly a tribute to from its opinion which of law and the culture of this country, but it is its business. order, of trying is particularly a tribute to the Yesterday the headline to create a work of some people who toiled in the Daily Telegraph, more orderly in some pretty stony ground and to my absolute society; difficult ground initially and that, astonishment, was they not least, includes the Runnymede that I was, through the Trust. That report you mentioned launching of this Kate Gavron – 30 years ago – was very very report, intending introduces Jack Straw at the important in opening people’s to rewrite launch of the eyes [the reference was to Colour history! In any Report on the Future of Multi- and Citizenship by Jim Rose and event, it’s not Ethnic Britain Nicholas Deakin and their my report, nor

2 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 are patently extremely important be in terms of opening people’s yes, we can discuss the responsibilities. But I’ve said this eyes – particularly the eyes of the recommendation for a Cabinet before and I’ll repeat it; I believe white population – to what it committee, what I would say, that the greatest responsibility feels like in Britain to be entirely Bhikhu, is that there is a real that I have is to use the weight of law-abiding and black or Asian, determination across my office to try to make Britain a and the drama of the inquiry (and Government to ensure that the fairer place; a place where people it was a drama) was itself recommendations of the MULTI-ETHNIC of every race and religion feel illuminating and educating. The Lawrence Report and the wider BRITAIN themselves to be an equal part of report’s recommendations (70 of aspiration of achieving racial the whole; a society which makes them in all) were very important, equality in our society is driven …as a a celebration out of the fact that but what’s even more important through. One of the Government we are multi-cultural, multi- is that those recommendations recommendations of the we have religious and multi-racial, and one are implemented. One of my Lawrence Inquiry (I hope, but I which not just assimilates people concerns was that we might end can’t say for certain, that we made and but celebrates people’s up (I didn’t think we would, but would have done it in any event) sought to differences. we could end up) with a situation was that we should strengthen make major I’ll come on in a second to talk as happened with the Scarman race relations legislation.That strides since about the legislation, but one Report – a good and thorough legislation is now almost through 1997 in terms important shift which I hope I’ve report which produced some Parliament and I am tolerably of the race helped to mark out, and which lasting changes, but which in the certain that it will get through relations the Runnymede Trust has marked end got sidelined and other before this session is prorogued agenda. out more, is to move away from agendas took over in terms of towards the end of the year.That this idea that all that is needed is government and society. legislation not only implements in racial tolerance, to a much more We’re a different political full what the Stephen Lawrence positive idea of racial equality and complexion from that Report proposed, which was that of celebration of diversity. government (one), there’s a race relations legislation should ‘Tolerance’, like so many words in different commitment (two), but apply to the police and should the English language, has (three) what we sought to do to also be extended to deal with ambiguous connotations. It can was to put in place very clear indirect as well as direct mean great things and that’s arrangements to ensure that discrimination, but it also sets important, but it can also mean those recommendations are positive duties to promote racial that we’re simply tolerating things driven through and constantly equality on all public authorities – that we’d prefer not to put up monitored, not least through the something which wasn’t in the with and I say we’ve moved (I machinery of the Stephen Lawrence Report which gives, hope) from that. Lawrence Report Steering Group however, meat and substance to I think and I hope that this is a which meets regularly under my what I was saying a moment ago view which has substance to it; chairmanship, which ensures that about not just eliminating racial that as a Government we have progress is being made and for intolerance made and sought to make major example (picking up a point that but strides since 1997 in terms of the Bhikhu made a moment ago) Jack Straw, race relations agenda.There was ensures that ministers from other launching the firstly the establishment of the departments like the Department Report: ‘there is no reason at all inquiry into the death of Stephen for Education and Employment, for us to be Lawrence, then the process of the the Crown Prosecution Service, trapped by one view of our past Lawrence Report and then the Ofsted and other as we look to report’s recommendations and institutions of the future’. now the follow-through to ensure government come. that the recommendations are And I think some properly implemented. I’m very of them would glad to see Richard Stone here in sometimes say the audience (and there may be they’re other members of the Stephen questioned in Lawrence Inquiry here) who was a very tough one of the four members of that way about the inquiry. I knew when I set the progress which inquiry up that it was important they are making to and, obviously, an unusual thing to meet the have done. I hadn’t, frankly, overall anticipated how important the objectives. process of the inquiry itself would Whilst,

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 3 celebrating diversity and rapidly and it’s changing for the recognise and I do not wish to promoting equality. good and I firmly believe that recognise. there is a future for Britain as an We all benefit, economically [Mr Straw’s speech then dealt with outlines of government policies on idea worth celebrating, and a and socially, from our diversity policing and immigration..The full text can future for Britishness. and difference and we should be be read on the Commission’s website at I don’t accept the argument of celebrating that, not bemoaning MULTI-ETHNIC www.runnymedetrust.org/meb.] The those on the narrow nationalist it. As a Government we’re Home Secretary continued: BRITAIN right, nor on part of the left that seeking to stand up for Britain, all I need to be honest here and I Britain, as a cohesive whole, is its celebration and for British have to say that I did feel when I dead. I am proud, I am English values, and our view of patriotism was reading the report the and I’m proud to be English. I’m is a much broader one than that Commission were a little proud to be British and I’m offered by the far right and grudging in recognising what’s proud of what I believe to be the indeed by some of those on the been achieved already. I also have best of British values. Indeed, last left. What we’re seeking to do is to say, and I’m in a sense sorry year I spoke publicly about how to stand up for great British that it is necessary to say this, but the concept of Britishness has values – like fair play, open- it’s become an issue which none become an inclusive plural one mindedness and rights coupled of us can directly avoid, that with people happily defining with responsibilities. We’re where I do strongly part themselves as Black British or as standing up for Britain company with the Commission is Chinese British or as Asian constitutionally against the over the view that’s expressed in British. For a small island we do separatists who would seek to Chapter 3 of this document encompass an enormous range tear Britain apart and we’re about Britishness. I frankly don’t of races, of accents and of seeking to stand up for Britain in agree with the Commission in attitudes. Moulding this into a the world, fighting for ethical what it says at the end of single shared identity was always values as we’ve sought to do in Chapter 3 and, as I say, I’ve not going to be a challenge, but it Kosovo and Sierra Leone and taken this from the Daily was in my judgement made more taking the lead, as Claire Short Telegraph, I’m actually reading it difficult by those on the left who has so magnificently done, in myself, nor do I believe that the turned their backs on concepts reducing the burden of debt and argument stands up in itself and of patriotism and who left the in fighting Third World poverty. I’ll just tell you why I think the field to those on the far right. Bhikhu, let me finish by saying argument doesn’t stand up. Now, 50 years ago George that I’m glad, if I may, that you For example at paragraph 3.23 Orwell, in a comment which still took the opportunity, when you it talks about various phobias rings true today, said this: ‘In left spoke a moment ago, to clarify which it says disfigure our society wing circles it is always felt your idea of what it means by and then says that these have there’s something slightly being British – that you been fuelled by a fixed disgraceful in being an Englishman recognised the notion. And I’m conception of national identity and that it is a duty to snigger at glad of that because there is a and culture, but in the very next every English institution from huge amount that is very paragraph whoever put this horse racing to suet pudding’. ‘It’s constructive and important in together disagrees with that idea a strange fact,’ Orwell went on this report and what I want to of a fixed conception and says ‘but it is unquestionably true that see is the debate taking place, as that the famous Tebbit cricket almost any English intellectual I sought to do in the opening test is not only racially would feel more ashamed of parts of my remarks about the demeaning (which, for sure, it is), standing to attention during God constructive recommendations in but is also out of date, which is Save the King than of stealing this report and it not, frankly, true.The point is that people’s from the poor box.’ It was being diverted into an issue conception of what it is to be quoted by Jeremy Paxman in his about whether those of us who The point British, what it is to be English, is great essay about the English are here who are British is that an ever-changing one and so it which he wrote 2 years ago. recognise that or wish to people’s should be.There was a time Now, given the tendency of celebrate it. As I say, I am British conception when of course we were some on the left to wash their and I welcome the very British of what it is overwhelmingly a white society hands of the whole notion of contribution that the Runnymede to be British, so people were bound to think nationhood, it’s perhaps not Trust has made to this very what it is to that being British or English also surprising that some people’s important debate and to the be English, is was synonymous with being perception of Englishness and improvement of race relations, an ever- white because that was the then of Britishness became a and the advancement of cultural changing one overwhelming sense that people narrow exclusionary and diversity and racial equality in our and so it had, but these days that is conservative one. But that’s a society. should be. changing and it’s changing very view of Britishness I do not Thank you very much indeed.

4 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 (2) Clearly Identifiable Themes that the current race ‘The Government’s Programme to Achieve discrimination legislation has Equality and Diversity in Multi-Ethnic Britain helped to curb the worst kinds of discrimination in employment and – a Response to the Commission’s Report’ is the provision of services. But the title of a presentation given by Baroness there are still problems such as Amos, Government Whip, speaking at the those shown up by the Stephen MULTI-ETHNIC Queen Mary Westfield Public Policy Seminar Lawrence Inquiry report. BRITAIN on Thursday, 12 October, Day 2 of the launch timetable for the It is clear that race equality has not yet been fully achieved. Many MEB Report. Excerpts from this presentation follow. Public people still suffer from prejudice bodies must The report is a timely and be assured of fairness, respect and discrimination simply because respect comprehensive addition to the and equality of opportunity.These of the colour of their skin or individual continuing debate on race are rights we can all sign up to because their name sounds worth, dignity equality in Britain – on working and they are inclusive. ‘different’. It is obvious that we and equality towards the successful One of the report’s most must do better, and we are taking before the multicultural society to which all striking concepts is the idea of a major legislative action in an law, and to of us here today aspire. It adds ‘community of communities’ – of attempt to do so.The Race secure much to the current debate on many different communities, Relations (Amendment) Bill is a equality may race relations in Britain. overlapping in some areas and vital part of our efforts to create have to Of course, there are some separate in others.The law, and in the right legislative and respond to parts which are critical of particular the Human Rights Act, administrative framework to different Government policy, which say that promotes universal values which achieve our objective of creating people in we are not doing enough, that we do not belong to any one group a society where equality of different are doing it too slowly, that things or community, but to all and opportunity for all is a reality – ways. aren’t changing fast enough. But provides a means by which where we celebrate the diversity there are other positive aspects individual rights and the rights of that enriches all our lives. of the report. Many others can be balanced where The Bill goes further than a recommendations cover areas they conflict. key recommendation of the where action is in hand or under We must recognise that in Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report active consideration. And the order to secure greater equality it by extending the provisions of the report will feed into the further may be necessary to treat some 1976 Race Relations Act, development of government individuals or groups differently. outlawing discrimination in public policy. In responding to the report Public bodies must respect functions not previously covered we have an opportunity to individual worth, dignity and – for example law enforcement explain in more detail exactly equality before the law, and to by the police or local authorities. what we are doing, and how that secure equality may have to As a result, important areas in the fits in with the report’s respond to different people in public sector will no longer be recommendations. different ways.This is a recurring unjustifiably excluded from The report brings together theme of the report’s examination challenges on the grounds of race two key threads of the of government policy – and one discrimination. Government’s programme – the that I support wholeheartedly. The Bill will also place a promotion of race equality and And I firmly believe that it is only general duty on public authorities the Human Rights Act.The by recognising this that we will actively to promote race equality. Human Rights Act came into succeed in embracing and The duty will be supported by effect on 2 October.The Act is managing the change we seek, and specific duties set out in about positive things – right to create the successful multicultural secondary legislation.The question, to know and to society to which we aspire. Commission for Racial Equality participate in decision-making.To The report rightly recognises will be able to enforce these

Principal speaker Jack Straw accompanied by some members of the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain for the platform debate at the Report’s launch on 11 October 2000

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 5 duties.This is an important step plans, the main broadcasters will forward. It means that public commit themselves to action authorities will be required to aimed at increasing the take proactive steps to avoid opportunities for people from discrimination before it occurs, minority ethnic communities to thereby raising the standard of participate in the television MULTI-ETHNIC service provided to minority industry and to be better BRITAIN ethnic communities. And if they reflected in programmes.This is fail to do so, the CRE will have an example of good practice the power to step in. which other sectors of industry Stuart Hall speaking at the And we are trying hard in might follow. launch event on government to practise race I have already referred to 11 October equality in Whitehall and all Home the clearly identifiable themes 2000. His speech will be Office services. Last year the which run through the covered in our Home Secretary announced Commission’s report. One next issue. targets for recruitment, retention of these is the importance and career progression within the of striking an appropriate Home Office and its services such balance between the rights and as the police and prisons. Now we needs of individuals and their changing social and economic are about to publish the first communities on the one hand needs of our society.That is why annual report on progress towards and, on the other, the interests of after we came to power we those employment targets. our society as a whole.This launched a fundamental review of We have set milestones at balance is at the heart of the immigration, nationality and 2002 and 2004, and these – Home Office’s efforts to build a asylum law, leading to the together with stringent ‘safe, just and tolerant society’. publication of our comprehensive monitoring – will make sure that These issues are of course strategy for reform in the White the existing momentum is not particularly relevant in the fields Paper of June 1998 ‘Fairer, Faster, lost.We will also be able to of immigration, nationality and and Firmer – A Modern reassess the targets against asylum law and policy. Approach to Immigration and progress – and adjust them The Commission’s report Asylum’.This was followed last according to changing contains a number of detailed year by the Immigration and circumstances. recommendations on these issues, Asylum Act 1999. Earlier this year we published and it would be impractical for The 1999 Act provided many the first set of performance me to comment on all of them. I much-needed changes to indicators on race equality.These would like to pick up on some of legislation in this area.These were intended to show the more important issues, and to measures were introduced to comparative trends of service put some of the general criticisms reform a system that was failing between the majority and of Government policy in the to address the problems minority ethnic communities. context of our wider strategy for represented by irregular, ***************************** producing a modern immigration uncontrolled migration and the This morning Chris Smith, and asylum system better suited associated activities of racketeers, Secretary of State at the to the country’s needs. while, at the same time, Department for Culture, Media Let me first of all say that inconveniencing our own citizens and Sport, together with the main there are many propositions in travelling in and out of the broadcasters, is launching a series the Commission’s report with country and foreign nationals of action plans under the auspices which I, and other Government wishing to come here lawfully. of the Cultural Diversity colleagues, would entirely agree. We are already seeing the Network.These plans will help Our immigration laws have benefits of some of the measures All launch event ensure that our screens better suffered in the past from introduced by the 1999 Act, such photographs are by Stefano represent our multicultural piecemeal and ill-considered as the civil penalty on hauliers Cagnoni. society. By signing up to these change without meeting the designed to reduce clandestine entry. Other measures, such as the reformed immigration and asylum appeals system, have only recently come into effect and will take a little while to bed down fully.We are confident that the reforms in the 1999 Act, together with a major investment of additional resources, will make a

6 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 real difference in producing a migration will remain the essential have shaped who I am, how I see system that is: platform for our approach in this myself and I have to say have area. given me the confidence to see • fairer, in delivering sound, The United Kingdom will myself as a citizen of the world, consistent, informed decisions continue to offer sanctuary to not just a citizen of Britain! with explicit regard to the refugees – we are committed to This government wants to human rights of applicants; meeting both our legal obligations build a society, a community of MULTI-ETHNIC • faster, in allowing most new and the underlying moral communities where all citizens are BRITAIN asylum applications to be imperative. As the Prime Minister treated as being of equal worth. determined within 2 months made clear during our Party A modern society based on clear by April 2001; and Conference, we will not pander and basic values of dignity, on I believe • firmer by tackling delays which to those with a racist or equality of opportunity for all and tackling have beset the system in the xenophobic agenda.We are on reciprocal tolerance and racism and past, playing into the hands of determined to improve the way respect.We want a society which discrimination traffickers and racketeers.We we handle applications for asylum. encompasses and celebrates is one of the want the Immigration Service We are committed to ensuring everything about the richness and great moral to use its resources flexibly that there are sufficient quality diversity of beliefs and lifestyles challenges of and more effectively. suppliers available to provide legal which exemplify those values, and our time. advice to asylum seekers. which make up modern Britain. But is it important to recognise ***************************** We have done much to that the needs of our society, and I can’t finish without adding my promote race equality in Britain. I the challenges and opportunities own thoughts to the debate on am proud of being able to make a presented by globalisation and the nature of Britishness which contribution. I believe tackling immigration – by definition a regrettably has dominated racism and discrimination is one dynamic, international discussion of the report in the of the great moral challenges of phenomenon – are constantly last couple of days. our time. One to which I am changing. Our policy solutions First I think it is important for personally strongly committed. must evolve in response to this us to recognise that this needs to Much more remains to be done. changing environment. In the be a real debate – it is not an But while government must of House of Lords, I am the academic debate. It is about course show leadership and get government spokesperson on recognising the reality of the the right policies and programmes International Development and changes which have taken place in in place, the Parekh Report and we are currently working on a British society and which impact discussion of the future shape of White Paper to be published in on how we not only think but our society must reach out and December looking at the feel over Britishness. Let me speak engage not just politicians and implications of globalisation for personally for a moment. My policy-makers, but community in our development work. identity is defined in a number of its broadest sense. I know that the In her recent speech to the different ways – I am British – Home Secretary will be discussing British Bankers’ Association, have lived in this country for with the Race Relations Forum at Barbara Roche opened a public most of my life. (I also say it is the end of the month how we debate about the economic and what I know and understand as can stimulate and encourage social benefits of migration. my home) but I am also debate. In the weeks and months Bhikhu Parekh Barbara encouraged more Guyanese (that is where I was ahead I look and Jack Straw in discussion at research and analysis of these born), I am a forward to the launch of issues, both inside and outside product of the that the Report on the Future of Government, to ensure the Caribbean and debate. Multi-Ethnic debate is properly informed. In of Africa and I Britain. that regard the Commission’s also see myself report is certainly in tune with as a European. Government thinking. All these Our formal policy aim in this influences area explicitly calls for regulation of entry to and settlement in the UK ‘in the interests of social stability and economic growth’. There is thinking to be done on how the component elements of immigration policy can best fit together to deliver this aim. Firm and effective management of

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 7 Comment and Commentary Initial responses to the report of the Commission on the A Question of Identity When the Commission’s report was first Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain were mixed. On later pages published,The Voice printed statements from there is a review of the hostile coverage. Here, we reprint several high-profile black athletes.They MULTI-ETHNIC extracts from coverage which was broadly supportive and acknowledged that they had encountered BRITAIN racism in British society but said that they welcoming. had no problem in identifying themselves as British. They appeared in this latter respect Signposts and barriers manifest itself in a myriad of ways. to be critical of the Commission’s report, and ‘Where do we If you really want to take the The Indian restaurants on ‘our’ were answered by Richmond Quarshie. go from here?’ racial temperature in Britain, you high streets, the music on ‘our’ I am disappointed at the I just wanted to would be better off examining stereos and the Olympians on response of some of our sporting send a positive the reactions to the report on ‘our’ television screen are all heroes to the report. email in the light of the atrocious multi-ethnic Britain rather than powerful indications that while It makes me wonder if the media coverage the report itself. Not that the Britain will always be a majority athletes quoted have read the (with a few report itself is not engaging. It is white country, Britishness and report at all. It is one of the most notable the bravest attempt, post-Stephen whiteness are no longer significant developments in race exceptions) and Lawrence, not only to assess what synonymous.The relationship relations of recent times.The what I gather to is wrong but to praise what is between race and place is being impact it could have on British be a torrent of right and to suggest how we decoupled society, if people listened, could hate email to might start to right the wrongs. … if people stop using the be far-reaching. your office… I But the reactions of Lord Tebbit, term ‘Britishness’ it will not be The athletes quoted talk of found the report Gerald Howarth MP and the because Bhikhu Parekh tells them being proud to be British, without extremely Daily Telegraph leader writers to, but because the word has lost an explanation of what this interesting and thought suggest that we may be no closer its meaning.That is truly what means. I feel their stance is provoking. I am to having a mature and open the right is afraid of. It is no unhelpful and negates the hard very saddened debate about race in this country accident that the Telegraph refers work that is being done so that by the response than we are about cannabis. to the past while the report one day all black people can feel to the report as The Telegraph’s front page refers to the future. For the accepted, valued and able to it seems to headline yesterday:‘Straw wants paper’s reaction is concerned not affirm their ‘Britishness’ – should indicate that to rewrite our history’ begs two with culture that is live, evolving they choose to… there are central questions.Who do they and complex, but heritage that is …That racism is endemic to significant mean by ‘our’ and precisely what frozen, atrophied and British society is undeniable. From numbers of version of history are they talking mythologised. It cannot fathom a black perspective, the global people, beyond about.The answers lead us the report’s suggestion that picture is far worse. For me, an the rabid racists, who will at best beyond race and ethnicity to “people must be treated equally acceptance of ‘Britishness’ is an tolerate people whether a post-colonial, devolved ... with due regard to differences acceptance of the values from ethnic Britain is ready to take its place in in experience, background and attached, including how and what backgrounds the modern world.The ‘our’ the perception” because it cannot history is taught. In order to form other than white Telegraph refers to is essentially understand the difference a better understanding of racism, and, probably, white, English and nationalistic. For between discriminating between history cannot be left out of the English.The most huge numbers of Scots,Welsh people and discriminating against equation. For black people, important and Irish, not to mention those of them. It wants to tolerate history is vital to understand the question really Caribbean, Asian, African and minorities, the authors of the circumstances that have led to now is “where Chinese descent the idea that ‘the report want to celebrate the status quo. do we go from description of British will never them… History is equally important for here?” and I will study your do on its own’ is not news. For …The Future of Multi-Ethnic lessons to be learnt from the recommenda- generations they have been Britain is a report with valuable mistakes of the past, to carve out a tions with the looking for ways to describe their signposts about where we have future in which racism – and all utmost interest. relationship to Britishness that to go to become a country built forms of inequality, injustice and – from a letter to would take account not only of on equality and mutual respect; violation of human rights – can be the Commission geography but of cultural, the initial reactions provide a thing of the past. It is believed economic and political reality … valuable indications of the kind of that British society is changing and ‘Britishness’ like the union flag barriers that will have to be has become as diverse as the is not neutral. Nor is it static. Its overcome to get there. world we live in.Within this meaning shifts at a pace and scale Gary Younge, ‘Celebrate, don’t context, it is obvious that problems determined not by Britain alone tolerate, minorities’,The Guardian, will arise when British history is but the world around us and will 11 October 2000 authenticated in the way many

8 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 people have come to accept. Optimism journalists but of the Commission. The truth is that the current What is so pleasing about this A petty argument to bother national story is not one that all report is its optimism. It is not a about? Of course, but it has been black people can identify with. For catalogue of racial grievances. It the only argument running many, that history ignores realities declares Britain to be more around the issue.We still wait for of murder, larceny, slavery, racially harmonious than most the media to lead a proper exploitation etc. On top of all Western societies, it assumes national debate on a strategy to this, according to the story, we things will get better not worse, rid this country of racism and MULTI-ETHNIC should be grateful, as we were and it addresses constructively discrimination. BRITAIN ‘civilised’ in the process. History real obstacles to further progress. The first attempt by anyone to by definition is a time-clock, by It moves right away from the deliver the basis for such a debate which a people are able to tell prevailing American model, which has been stranded on the shoals where they are coming from, one might call the post-Jim Crow of media incomprehension.The ‘Quite how what is happening to them now tradition.The uncritical trouble is that you cannot deliver institutionalised’ I was saddened and what they must do in order importation into Britain of an race equality by stealth.The and disappointed to get to where they want to go. American theory of race relations process of change needs to be by the Lloyd Honeyghan believes has done more harm than good. open and accountable if it is to misrepresentation slavery is over and we are living in That shift is undoubtedly because work… of the report and a free society. He should speak to of the growing influence in Britain Chris Myant, New Politics, Jack Straw’s backing down the families of Stephen Lawrence, of writers and academics from November 2000 from fully Christopher Alder, Joy Gardener, the Indian Sub-Continent (like ______supporting it. I Brian Douglas, Roland Adams and Professor Parekh), who do not think it is a clear others.What sort of society recognise themselves by the term Anguished frenzy and imaginative tolerates racism, deaths in police Black and who are in Britain out The Parekh commission, by document which pushes the debate custody, disproportionate of choice (or increasingly, their characterising Britain as a forward in very unemployment, miscarriages of ancestors’ choice). A post-colonial community of communities, offers constructive ways. justice, under-achievement and immigration theory of race a broader model than mere It is a very great exclusion of black children in our relations needs to be quite assimilation. It has scouted out the pity that the schools, lack of opportunity? different from a post-slavery land the Daily Telegraph never Guardian editorial picked up on the Need I continue?… theory of race relations. visits, and hoisted some storm Telegraph’s …Our athletes should take a Clifford Longley,The Tablet, cones. It wants Britain to version instead of leaf from the book of Cathy November 2000 celebrate her variety, and reading the Freeman, in being so prominent ______understand how differences as discussion of about using the platform afforded well as conformity need to be Britishness in context, as Stuart by her sporting achievements to Proper national debate accommodated in schools, in the Hall points out highlight the plight of her people The Daily Telegraph set the ball police, in politics, in culture, in the today. Let’s hope in Australia. It would be rolling with a headline:‘“British” is whole range of public life. It that it will be admirable if, in their moments of a racist word, says report’.When makes some substantial proposals, revisited in a glory, black athletes were more the Guardian, apparently without as such surveys must, which are calmer light. I am sure most prominent in being able to say – having read the actual report, of variable quality but deserve academics will proud as they are of being black followed suit with a splash and an serious discussion. build on the and British – that pride is belittled editorial, even sensible thinking The hysteria with which the report positively – when they see the state of their people might be excused if they report has been greeted does it provides a community. thought that the eminent not bode well for such synthesis and overview available I was present at the launch of Commission had collectively discussion. But it throws a nowhere else and the Runnymede report in London jumped off the edge into idiot revealing light on these frightened forces people to last week. Stuart Hall’s speech speak. spokesmen for the old canons of start debates touched base with everyone, The Commission, of course, Britishness.They can barely from a new point. black and white… What the said no such thing. It drew contain their rage at the notion I will certainly be making it a central report says about Britain valuing attention to the objective fact of the national identity, along with part of my writing its cultural diversity is that ideas of Britishness have had its hierarchy of historic icons, about the Irish in fundamental. If Britain wants to racial connotations, excluding perhaps needing to be updated. Britain and will remain competitive, viable and some from the family.When They evidently do not challenge its successful in the emerging global members of the Commission understand what it means to feel media reception at every economy, it must pay attention to protested that the Guardian, of all excluded: don’t feel the individual opportunity. aspects of its societal fabric which papers, really ought to have got it pain, don’t reflect on the social – from a letter to hinder this. right, one of their respected consequences.Their anguished the Commission Richmond Quarshie,The Voice, journalists, Malcolm Dean, frenzy makes a contrast with the 30 October 2000 responded with a column saying measured, confident and adult ______the fault was not that of the tone of the commission, which is

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 9 a far cry from the ethnic have been moved when Denise And what are the ‘shaping whingeing of 20 years ago. Lewis wrapped herself in a Union events’? I was brought up to learn …The most potent recent Jack as she ran her victory lap? both the imperial version of display of our island nationalism She and many other public figures British history in school and its took place at Wembley last personify a new pride in leftwing mirror image at home. Saturday.This is what Englishness multicultural Britain of which we For every royal act, I could cite a MULTI-ETHNIC – which is synonymous, for the can all feel honoured to belong. popular rebellion, for every BRITAIN Telegraph and Mail, with Surely that is a far, far better place parliamentary debate I could find Britishness – has sunk to.Ten to live than in an out-of-date and an even more significant act of thousand voices roared anti- distorted culture where an civil defiance.There was the War ‘Could not find German war taunts, and drowned innocent bystander like Stephen of the Roses here, and the anything that out the other side’s national Lawrence can be beaten to death Peasants’ Revolt there. In the end justified the anthem. Richard Williams on our streets simply because of I accepted neither story in its press panics’ … I thought I reported “a mood of such the colour of his skin? entirety.That made history, for should tell you depravity as to make one wonder Of course there is still a long me, a wonderful fluid interaction how interesting exactly what, in far wider terms, way to go. But ending prejudice between facts and interpretations; and impressive I found it. I could the English think they are doing will certainly not be achieved by between primary and secondary not, of course, find with themselves”. damning a report which highlights causes; between trustworthy and anything that I wasn’t there, and can’t prove the problems. Much better to mendacious original sources. justified the press panics about it. I it. But would anyone bet that start by acknowledging Britain has Above all, it meant that you could thought it made a more than 1% of that yobbish come a long way from the days go on rediscovering history lot of very multitude was of Asian or when it was a white, imperialist forever. penetrating observations – e.g. Caribbean origin? Finding the only power. For some people, though, such about the way way to proclaim their Britishness Daily Express, main editorial, 12 rediscovery is still dangerous.They behaviours feeds by screaming obscenities at October 2000 appear to believe that we already prejudice round and round (that Germans? They may not always ______know and understand all that we nice diagram on support England at cricket. But need to about this country’s page 73), the they seem to know better than Rediscovering history for history. Now, we simply need to limitations and problems of the many Anglo-Saxons what should ever get on and teach it so our idea of ‘social be meant by being British. The keepers of the Grail are children also understand what a exclusion’, the Irish Hugo Young, ‘The inclusiveness of rumbling again.Yesterday,The wholly unique and admirable and the way their position distorts “Britain” cannot be challenged’,The Daily Telegraph devoted both an place this was up until the statistics, the non- Guardian, 12 October 2000 editorial (headed ‘The British foundation of the European publication of ______race’) and a large news feature to Community (and could be again). reports etc (p. 142, 157), Ofsted, the the latest threat to our national The received version of what the stereotype of A far better place heritage.The peril has come in Telegraph calls ‘our island story’ Western vs ethnic. A single phrase in a 400-page the form of a report from the (and how freighted that phrase The crazy citizenship law, and report into the future of a Runnymede Trust – the highly is!) suits both its idea of itself and the impossibility of multiracial Britain has been regarded think-tank that looks at its desires for the country’s drawing a line pounced upon by those race relations in Britain – snappily future. between religion and cults … And determined to suggest that the entitled The Future of Multi-Ethnic It is with that received version the Government is undermining the Britain and published today.This that the Runnymede Trust takes recommendations identity of this country with mad ‘sub-Marxist gibberish’, according issue. It points out, as have seemed very sensible though I political correctness. to the Telegraph, threatens the historians such as Linda Colley, fear too many are All the Runnymede-sponsored inclusiveness of Britain by that Britishness is a recent too unpopular to report actually points out is that questioning the very idea of a political construct, not something be followed. Still it was worth making when most of us hear the word common British identity and that flowed with the ancient them and I hope ‘British’ we assume that means a instead suggesting that we talk water out of the iron hills and some people in white person when it could refer about ‘a community of into our bloodstream … positions of authority read the to someone of Chinese, Asian or communities’.Whereas, says the David Aaronovitch, ‘There’s no report and think Afro-Caribbean extraction.To newspaper,‘until now we have such thing as British history’,The about it and have react to that with tub-thumping thought of the shaping events of Independent, 11 October 2000 not been put off by the press demands to protect our national our history as everyone’s ______reactions. identity is to miss the point. heritage, regardless of where their – from a letter to Britain today is a multicultural ancestors lived’. The right to use this the Commission society.The question is how to Now you don’t have to be a possessive pronoun adapt the traditional image so mad postmodernist with his The proud British white parents that it embraces everyone. trousers on his head to quibble of a friend of mine moved to a That is a worthy and patently with the easy assumptions in that new village. On the first evening, achievable aim.Who can fail to sentence.Who is the ‘we’ here? not yet unpacked, they picked up

10 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 food from the local Chinese take- ministers. But, as sales of the that are essential in analysis of away. Chatting to the proprietor, report soar into a second racism in its various they explained that they had just printing, it is equally clear that the manifestations. I welcome the become neighbours.‘Welcome to report has not been consigned to extension of the analysis to our village,’ smiled the Chinese. ignominy. On the contrary, well include anti-Irish racism and anti- On relating this story, my friend’s away from the publicity that is so semitism in ways which break father ends it with a flourish: damaging for action against down the longstanding, and MULTI-ETHNIC ‘Bloody cheek – “Our village”!’ racism, it will gain its rightful place troubling emphasis, on racism as BRITAIN It’s the right to use this in the canon. experienced by ‘people of colour’ possessive pronoun ‘our’ which is The Parekh report is a valuable to the exclusion of the hatred at the heart of the furore created source of insight and information, and discrimination that is ‘Re-imagining by the publication last week of rich in data, thoughtful and experienced by people in these British history’ the Runnymede Trust’s report The challenging. I have scanned it white communities, However, I I find it depressing Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain. closely for the ways in which find it inexplicable, from the that only 485 As a British emigrant who has Scotland is represented and built perspective of Scotland, that the people visited your website lived for 10 years in apparently into the central analysis, and I analysis did not include an analysis between 19 and culturally similar Western consider it to be a real advance of sectarianism (which cannot be 23 Oct.This European countries, I now on previous studies. Of course it reduced to anti-Irish racism), and underlines what is understand better what is flawed, and some of its flaws other forms of white-on-white obviously answering the question entails. are more significant than others. bigotry, as being the context apparent - that people are Being permitted to feel a valid The attacks on the report must within racism thrives. Indeed, the commenting on member of the society in which not deter us from evaluating it in thrust of my critique has to be the report you come to live is at least as order to assess its potential that part one of the report (in without reading it. important as the commitment contribution in sharpening analysis contrast to part two) reveals a As historians, I you make yourself to and formulating policy.The flaws metropolitan bias that is deeply and my colleagues find the report’s integrating… must be revealed and discussed ethnocentric to English cities. views on ‘re- …Britain has to grow up and away from the fray between Elinor Kelly, article in imagining’ British step off the pedestal of opposing camps. Multicultural Teaching, winter 2000 history entirely condescension. It won’t be going … I acknowledge the ______unexceptional and anywhere unless it looks considerable efforts made by the unobjectionable. Imagining and re- difference in the eyes and commissioners to include National discussion imagining is what embraces it wholeheartedly. Scotland in ways unprecedented The report addresses issues professional Judging from last week’s heated in previous reports on ‘Britain’. which cannot be simplified. It historians do all debates, we know this well Those of us who working to demands all British citizens spend the time. It is a enough but some of us are identify and challenge racism in time applying real thought to the widespread, yet wholly mistaken frightened. Don’t be. Include Scotland have been greatly framing of a contemporary belief, that there people and you free yourself. handicapped by the systematic national identity. Stuart Hall are certain simple That’s the origin of true greatness. exclusion of our people from speaks with utmost clarity about truths in British And in a world of increasingly many reports as influential as, for complex issues which each of us history on which border-blind travel and instance, the series produced by needs to follow and work at in most historians agree.They most communication, there is no future the Policy Studies Institute. I order to apply them to the certainly do not. without the acceptance of welcome the second part of their context in which we find … That so many difference. report, where Scotland is ourselves. None of it is about commentators Julian Chilcott, Amsterdam, – included, and there is open other people. It requires all of us feel the need to letter in the Independent, 17 acknowledgement of the fact that to learn a lot. In particular, it take a virulent opposing view, to October developments in Scotland’s exposes the need for all of us to my mind ______separate justice and education be involved in the search for an strengthens rather systems should be studied more agreed vocabulary upon which than weakens the Scottish perspectives closely. we can build a national discussion. arguments of the Yet again, a major report on the However, the flaws in the … Let’s remember Stephen Report, and the need for the state of race relations in Britain report become manifest when Lawrence and draw strength to adoption of its … has been published to a we realise that the Commission continue on the long road he has several practical furore orchestrated in the called on many specialists in taken us on. No one is going to recommendations London press. Initiated by the England to prepare briefing simplify or do the task for any of .… Daily Telegraph, a campaign of papers, but did not do the same us. Unless we are all interested – from a response to the disinformation was launched in with specialists in Scotland, hence and prepared to apply ourselves, Commission’s order to distract attention from … the flaws in part one of the we will not get very far. website the main findings of the report report where the commissioners Judy Ling Wong, Black and to drive a wedge between have deconstructed, and Environment Network, letter to the the Commission and government reconstructed, the analytical tools Guardian, 15 November 2000

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 11 ‘Children Will Be Told Lies’ Robin Richardson, the Report’s Editor, looks at distortions, what was to come later in the untruths and abuse in the media coverage of The Future of week.) The Mail also noted the Multi-Ethnic Britain. report’s proposals and comments on school exclusions, the national MULTI-ETHNIC Much of the media coverage of from Ann Widdecombe, the curriculum and employment law. BRITAIN our report was both inaccurate shadow home secretary. ‘We At the same time there were and intemperate. Several have come light years in this signals of how the report might journalists based their comments country since the 1970s,’ she said, later be criticised:‘The police, not on the report itself but on ‘and I am very pleased to hear political parties, schools, the what they had gathered about it someone else [i.e. the health service and many from each other’s headlines and Commission] recognising this.’The employers are condemned as writings.The code of practice Express on Sunday gave coverage prejudiced … The commission’s issued by the Press Complaints to the report’s criticisms of the 23 members include Left-wing Commission asserts that ‘all government (‘Labour is accused academics and journalists, members of the press have a of stoking race fear’) and ran an including BBC Political Editor duty to maintain the highest article by a commissioner,Trevor Andrew Marr.They propose a raft professional and ethical standards’; Phillips, in which he of new laws to force public that ‘newspapers and periodicals recommended employment bodies and private firms to boost should take care not to publish targets and an end to ‘all-white the strength of the ethnic inaccurate, misleading or ghettos in the civil service and minorities.’ In the light of what distorted material’; and that quangos’. Similarly the Observer was to follow, the words ‘raft’, ‘newspapers, whilst free to be focused on criticisms of the ‘force’, and ‘boost the strength’ partisan, must distinguish clearly government:‘Straw “fails to stamp take on emotive and threatening between comment, conjecture out racism”’. The Sunday Times meanings. At the time, however, and fact’.1 This article outlines chose to headline school they did not appear particularly ways in which the media exclusions:‘Schools urged to melodramatic or seriously coverage of The Future of Multi- expel fewer blacks’. untruthful. Ethnic Britain was not in accord The following day, Monday 9 Elsewhere on Monday 9 with the highest professional and October, the Mail repeated the October the Herald, based in ethical standards, and was on the welcoming note struck in the Glasgow, headlined the report’s contrary inaccurate, misleading Sunday Telegraph – its cross-head recommendation that the UK and distorted. was a quotation from Bhikhu should declare itself to be a Parekh,‘Britain is at ease with multicultural society –‘UK urged The first days itself’ – and in its main heading to state its position on equality To start with, the media coverage re-stated Trevor Phillips’s points and race’ – and gave a factual was positive, or else factual and about targets:‘Call for quotas to summary of several other neutral. On Sunday 8 October, 3 end white domination of the recommendations. Also it quoted days before publication, the Lords’. (In point of fact, the report welcoming words from a Sunday Telegraph carried the explicitly argues against the idea government spokesperson:‘Many headline ‘Critics of a “racist” of quotas, as distinct from targets. of the [report’s] Britain are misguided, says report’, This distortion was serious, but recommendations cover areas and quoted welcoming remarks remarkably mild compared with where action is in hand or under active consideration. In these latter cases the recommendations will feed into the development of such policies.Where there are new suggestions we will look at these with interest.’ This welcome from the government was also quoted in part by the Guardian in a story which focused on the report’s chapter on asylum and immigration, headlined ‘Straw asked to scrap voucher plan’.The headline in the Scotsman was ‘Race challenge to parties at Holyrood’.

12 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 Abusive and untruthful neutral and legal word ‘racial’, the enquiries.They merely copied out It was the following day,Tuesday Telegraph led its readers, and also the words they found in the 10 October, still one day before journalists on a wide range of Telegraph, and created their own the official launch,that the abusive other papers, to believe that the versions of the Telegraph’s and untruthful coverage began. Commission’s report had been headline. The lead item on the front page insulting. On the following day Thus the Mail, for example, of the Telegraph was headed there were several angry letters changed its second edition on 10 MULTI-ETHNIC ‘Straw wants to rewrite our from readers, responding to the October in order to include an BRITAIN history’ and the sub-heading was insult which they falsely believed item headlined ‘British is racist, ‘“British” is a racist word, says had been made.The first of these report’. The latter statement was said, amongst other things:‘One based on a serious misquotation. might have thought that Lord The story beneath the heading Parekh’s 40-year connection with claimed that the Commission’s this country would at least have report: taught him that presuming to tell your hosts what to call … defines the UK as ‘a themselves is an act of atrocious community of communities’ bad manners.’ The same thoughts rather than a nation. It says the were expressed later in the week description of its inhabitants as by a columnist in the Mail:‘The British ‘will never do on its sheer bad manners of those own’, largely because the term involved is startling. Here are says peer trying to rewrite our has ‘racist connotations’. people who, for the most part, history’.The first paragraph of its have achieved utterly story said:‘An explosive new The single most serious disproportionate gains from living report being considered by Jack falsehood here was the in Britain.Yet they insult the host Straw calls for Britain’s history to Telegraph’s claim that the report population.’ 2 be re-written and labels British a says the word British has ‘racist Since the connotations’.The claim was report had not made twice, first on page 1 and yet been then again, within the context of published, READERS’ RESPONSES an otherwise accurate quotation Telegraph Under the heading ‘Report causes offence to Britain’s indigenous of several sentences, on page 2. In readers could population’,The Daily Telegraph published nine letters on 11 both instances the phrase ‘racist not find out for October critical of the report.The following extracts show a flavour connotations’ appeared within themselves of what was said: inverted commas, and readers that its • ‘One might have thought that Lord Parekh’s 40-year connection would have taken for granted that coverage was with this country would at least have taught him that presuming it therefore appears also in the based on a to tell your hosts what to call themselves is an act of atrocious Commission’s report. false quotation. bad manners.’ The report does say that Journalists on • ‘What arrogance. Previous groups who owe their presence here “Britishness … has.. racial other papers, to immigration accepted that responsibility for change and connotations” (paragraph 3.30 on however, had adaptation lay with them. Now a group with the Government’s page 38).The difference between ready access to ear demands the reverse.The report’s authors are not simply ‘racist’ (the Telegraph’s word) and review copies. asserting their right to enjoy private cultural arrangements – no ‘racial’ (the word used by the Also they had reasonable person can object to that.They are insisting on Commission) is both emotional a long string of multicultural solidarity at the public level as the officially approved and conceptual. Emotionally, the telephone constitutional arrangement, whether the 54 million of the rest of term ‘racist’ is an insult.‘Racial’, numbers to us like it or not. If this proves nothing else, it proves that our however, is part of temperate, contact if they problems with race relations are not the product of institutional legal discourse and appears in, for wished to racism; they are a function of institutional anti-racism.’ example, the Race Relations Act make • ‘Part of the British tradition has been the welcome extended to and related publications of the enquiries, and others who wish to become British. But Britain is not some kind last 25 years. Conceptually, terms they knew the of hotel, where people stay for their convenience. If Lord Parekh such as ‘racial group’,‘racial address of the and his team think it is, it should spur us to make a better job of equality’,‘racial disadvantage’ are Commission’s teaching the history of these islands.’ familiar.There is a vast and wholly website. Yet • ‘How disturbing it is to find ourselves in the position of being obvious difference between ‘a most of them undermined from two sides – the EU and a minority in this racial group’ and ‘a racist group’. did not take country, supported by politicians who govern us with decisions By inaccurately substituting the the trouble to based upon advice from spin doctors at their breakfast tables.’ abusive word ‘racist’ for the make further

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 13 racist word.’ Similarly the Sun ‘appeared to suggest’ that ‘British Isles’ were the basis of a added an item in its later editions Britishness is a racist term. This formal complaint to the Press on 10 October. Under the modification was presumably Complaints Commission (PCC), heading ‘“British” is Race Slur’ it made because the paper was on the grounds that they involved carried an item which started: now aware that it was open to an infringement of Clause 1 of “The word ‘British’ is RACIST, substantial criticism for the PCC’s code of practice.4 The MULTI-ETHNIC according to a new report that misrepresenting the report. But two false substitutions were not BRITAIN has been welcomed by the by then the damage had been the Telegraph’s only inaccuracies, government. And it says British done.The Telegraph did not draw however. Additional damage was history should be rewritten attention to its new line, and few done by the paper’s claim that because it takes no account of if any of its readers would have the Commission ‘defines the UK ethnic minorities.’ Later in the day, noticed that it had significantly as a community of communities a headline in the Evening changed its story. No journalist on rather than a nation’.This is a Standard, published in London, another paper appeared to serious distortion of what the was ‘The word “British” is racist – notice.The following week (18 report actually argues. report’, and the opening October) the Telegraph ran an The report frequently uses the sentence of its story was:‘A article by Bhikhu Parekh which phrase ‘community of government-backed report on clearly set the record straight. But communities and citizens’, race relations warns that the this too was too late to correct sometimes shortened to word British has “racist the erroneous beliefs which the ‘community of communities’, as a connotations”, it emerged today.’ paper had already formed way of picturing how Britain Later in the week, headlines amongst its readers. No other could and should develop. It does included ‘Racism slur on the word paper referred to it.The Telegraph not, however, propose the “British”’ (Mail, 11 October), itself, the next day, printed a letter ludicrous idea that this is how ‘Drop the word “British” says race from a reader which used yet Britain should be named or trust’ (Times, 11 October),‘British another misquotation and serious defined.5 Its concern is to critique tag is “coded racism”’ (Guardian, distortion to claim that Professor the mental picture of Britain as 11 October),‘Ministers welcome Parekh had misrepresented his consisting of one large report which says “British” is own report.3 homogeneous majority plus racist and all our history must be A second serious inaccuracy various small minorities. It rewritten’ (Sun, 11 October), lay in the Telegraph’s claim that proposes in this connection that ‘British is “just another word for the Commission ‘says the the term ‘community of The prejudice”’(Mirror, 11 October), description of its [i.e. the UK’s] communities and citizens’ is a Telegraph did and ‘British is a boo word in inhabitants as British “will never more helpful way of picturing not draw today’s UK’ (Guardian, 13 do on its own”’.The report does Britain than discourse of majority attention to October). observe (paragraph 3.28) that the and minorities. It suggests that the its new line, Notable exceptions to the word British ‘will never do on its term can be used to picture a and few if general pattern included Gary own’ to refer to all inhabitants of city, town or village, not just any of its Younge, Hugo Young and Alan what the Good Friday Agreement society as a whole, and that it can readers Travis in the Guardian (but not calls ‘these islands’, i.e. including also helpfully be used to picture would have the Guardian leader writer on 11 the Republic of Ireland.This an institution such as school. Its noticed that October, nor the sub-editor who observation is self-evidently true. stress on the idea of Britain as a it had provided an outrageously By quoting the phrase ‘will never community is a stress on social significantly inaccurate headline for the story do on its own’ out of context, cohesion and solidarity, and a changed its by Travis), David Aaronovitch and and falsely claiming that the shared sense of belonging.These story. the leader writer in the report referred to the United important aspects of the report’s Independent, the leader writer in Kingdom rather than to the arguments were trivialised by the the Express, and Matthew British Isles, the Telegraph gave it a claim that the report proposes derisory meaning. This inaccuracy that Britain should be re-named, like the one about so-called racist and gave rise to clumsy attempts connotations was widely at satire.The Evening Standard Norman in the repeated. In this instance too, ran a cartoon in which two Evening Standard. many journalists did not bother Roman soldiers looked out from Two days after its to check the text of the report a ship to the white cliffs of Dover. initial falsehood, in a leading itself, or to telephone any of the ‘Apparently they’re not Britons,’ article on 12 October, the commissioners for clarification. the one is saying.‘They’re just a Telegraph modified its account multi-ethnic community of and in effect admitted that it ‘Community of communities’ communities.’ On the Kilroy might have been wrong.The The Telegraph’s substitutions of Programme (BBC television, 18 Commission’s report, it said, ‘racist’ for ‘racial’ and of ‘UK’ for October) it was claimed that the

14 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 Commission wants to re-write on the report itself but on what argues; or could have waited for Henry V’s speech at Harfleur: he had read about it in the the official launch. ‘One more unto the breach, dear Telegraph.This was clear from the friends, once more, or close the text of the article but also was Why? wall with our community of readily admitted by the person Were the distortions and communities dead’. concerned to several individual falsehoods in the media a commissioners.‘Race report is function of (a) misunderstanding MULTI-ETHNIC The national story spoilt by bad idea’ was the or (b) negligence or (c) malice? BRITAIN There were further serious subheading over his article.The Or was there a combination of distortions around the idea of article itself then falsely claimed these three, and if so in what ‘rewriting history’.The report that the report says that ‘Britain is proportions? In so far as malice What does speaks of nation states as a racially coded word that should was a factor, was it generated Britain stand ‘imagined communities’ and notes be replaced with the term primarily by the report, or were for? Of what that in this respect every state “community of communities”.’ there other targets as well? may citizens has a dominant national story. It The damage done by the In the first instance, such be justly points out that the dominant leading article was compounded questions are about journalists’ proud? How story in Britain omits large by the headline which a subeditor understandings and intentions. It has the numbers of people and chose for a front-page news item might be claimed that they simply imagined experiences and proposes that it by Alan Travis on the same day: misunderstood.They did not nation stood should therefore be re-assessed. ‘British tag is “coded racism”.’ appreciate, the argument would the test of The argument is introduced as Readers would have taken for be, the difference between ‘racial’ time? follows: granted that the term ‘coded and ‘racist’, or between the British What does Britain stand for? racism’ appears in the report, Isles and the United Kingdom.This Of what may citizens be justly since the Guardian headline put it explanation is not, surely, proud? How has the imagined in inverted commas. It is not in believable. Newspapers nation stood the test of time? the report, however, and did not themselves do not use the words What should be preserved, what appear in Travis’s article. Nor does ‘racial’ and ‘racist’ interchangeably, jettisoned, what revised or the phrase ‘British tag’ appear in and it is inconceivable that there reworked? How can everyone the report and it did not appear are journalists who believe that have a recognised place within in the article. the term United Kingdom refers the larger picture? These are The falsehoods in the to the whole of the British Isles. A questions about Britain as an Telegraph, Mail and Sun stirred up more plausible explanation is imagined community.6 racist feelings, as evidenced by the negligence. This point was simplified by hate-mail sent to the Runnymede ‘Journalists’, pleaded Roy the Telegraph into:‘The nation’s Trust office and to individual Greenslade in the Guardian in very history should be re-thought commissioners. Further, it caused October (though not explicitly and certain aspects ‘jettisoned, widespread uncertainty and apropos the coverage of The revised or reworked’. Other questioning amongst many people Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain) ‘are papers then seized on the three professionally associated with race human beings’. He continued: words ‘jettisoned, revised or equality issues.The latter turned reworked’, or indeed just on the to the Guardian for clarification We work quickly.We are word ‘jettisoned’, and did not and correct information, believing rarely able to obtain all the bother to check the wider that it would be a trustworthy facts about any story. Some of context in which they had been source. It is most regrettable that, our informants mislead us, used.They did not inform their with both its leading article and even when protecting readers that the report had used its front-page headline, the themselves with off-the-record a fourth word as well,‘preserved’, Guardian failed them. briefings. Some people who or that it had stressed that there Subsequently, the Guardian could correct our is much in the national story of claimed that it was all the interpretations of events refuse which citizens may be justly Commission’s own fault, because to talk to us. From hints, partial proud. its report had not been clear.7 If truths and concealed agendas, indeed certain Guardian we try to grasp the whole and, The Guardian journalists had been unable to naturally enough, there is a The Guardian’s behaviour was understand the report they could tendency to embellish, to particularly disappointing and easily have picked up a phone stretch the facts which suit a irresponsible.Whilst some of its and asked for clarification; or scenario we imagine to be journalists, as already noted, could have spoken to their true. Sometimes we simply wrote accurate and supportive colleagues Gary Younge and Alan misunderstand. It is in the accounts of the report, its leader- Travis, both of whom had an nature of our business that we writer based his comments not expert grasp of what the report are bound to make mistakes.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 15 However hard we strive to headlines were apparently based new legislation, and the tasks of eliminate them, they occur.’8 on a briefing by ‘sources close to organisational change at all levels. the Home Secretary’, as indicated There is much to talk about and Were journalists in so much of on 12 October by the home to act on.The media cannot, and a hurry to meet deadlines (‘we affairs correspondent of the in the medium term and long work quickly’) that they were Independent. Certainly they were term will not, prevent the talking MULTI-ETHNIC unable to double-check that they not warranted by Mr Straw’s and the acting from taking place. BRITAIN were quoting correctly? Were speech on its own.They referred ‘Children will be told lies about time-pressures compounded by to his response to multiple their history and encouraged to the need to keep abreast of agendas, particularly the agenda feel ashamed of their country’, The report other papers, so that no paper of his political opponents to warned one columnist.9 Ye s is not only or would appear to have missed a brand the present government as indeed, children will be told lies even prima- scoop, or to have been upstaged unpatriotic, not primarily to his about their history if their elders rily, however, or outpaced by others? Was response to The Future of Multi- read and rely on only the media. about natio- there a tendency to close Ethnic Britain. But if instead their elders read nal identity. professional ranks, so to speak, In so far as sections of the The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, around the Telegraph’s initial story, media intended the government there is more than a good chance rather than to check it out? and wider public opinion to ignore that future generations will the report, they were in the short engage with issues of truth. Consequences term successful.The media At the launch on 11 October, the onslaught, however, had the effect Endnotes Home Secretary praised of publicising the report to many 1 The full code of practice is available fulsomely the work of the more millions of people than from the Press Complaints Runnymede Trust over the years would otherwise have heard of it, Commission, 1 Salisbury Square, and welcomed the new report. and of provoking far greater sales London EC4Y 8JB, telephone 020 7353 He said that he had ‘to part than could otherwise have been 3732, and can be downloaded from company’, however, with the expected. In consequence, www.pcc.org.uk. Commission in its discussion of substantial numbers of people 2 Andrew Alexander, Daily Mail, 13 British identity. But what he have read the report in full, have October 2000. actually said on this topic, if heard come to the report’s defence and 3 The correspondent claimed to quote in the wider context of media will be active in advocating its from the Commission’s own text but in misrepresentation, constituted recommendations and arguments fact quoted from a presentation which praise with a faint damn.The to government – the current one the Commission received. His extract following day Baroness Amos, a or the next. Further, some crucial included words which were not quoted government whip in the House of items have been put higher on the by the Commission, and omitted words Lords, made a speech about the race equality agenda, particularly which would have unambiguously have report which was wholly concepts of national identity, shown the quotation’s source. welcoming, and fully supportive of questions about how Britain 4 At the time this article went to press, its discussions of British identity should be pictured, what it means the PCC had not yet made its [see the report on p. 5–7]. to describe a country such as adjudication. The government’s positive Britain as a community, and what it 5 The Observer’s review feature ‘Did response, as evidenced by these means to belong to a community. they really say that?’(31 December two speeches, was not reported The report is not only or even 2000) recycles disinformation by in the media. On the contrary, the primarily, however, about national quoting from another newspaper’s media claimed that Mr Straw had identity. Its opening chapters misreporting of the Report on the robustly distanced himself from discuss at length the concept of Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain. It repeats the report. Headlines included racism – or more accurately the false claim that Runnymede, in ‘Race report angers “proud racisms – and also how a society publishing the Report,‘demanded Briton” Straw (Express),‘Straw is to achieve a balance of Britain should be renamed the backs Britain’ (Mirror),‘Race cohesion, equality and difference, Community of Communities’. report brings defence of how to reduce economic 6 Quoted from paragraph 2,5, page 15. Britishness’ (Financial Times), inequalities, and how to build a The words also appear in the executive ‘“Proud to be British” Straw raps human rights culture. All this was summary, page xiv. race report’ (Times),‘Straw beats ignored by the media, as were the 7 Malcolm Dean,When it pays to be a very British retreat over race detailed discussions later in the clear, Guardian, 8 November 2000. report’ (Telegraph),‘Be proud to report of the criminal justice 8 Roy Greenslade,The prince and the be British, Straw tells left’ system, education, media bias, “apology”, Guardian, 30 October. (Guardian), and ‘Straw launches cultural policy, the health service, 9 Richard Littlejohn, How many blacks are scathing attack on “unpatriotic” employment, asylum and there in the Cabinet?, Sun 13 October political left’ (Independent). Such immigration policy, the need for 2000.

16 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 A SUMMARY OF FALSEHOODS AND DISTORTIONS

Topic What the report says What the media said the report says

Connotations of ‘Britishness, as much as Englishness, has systematic, ‘Britishness, as much as Englishness, has systematic, largely Britishness largely unspoken, racial connotations.’ (Para 3.30, p. 38) unspoken, racist connotations.’ (Daily Telegraph 10 October – The phrase ‘racist connotations’ was used on subsequent days by several other papers as well.)

Confusion of UK ‘The Good Friday Agreement of 1999 implies that ‘[The] report, to be published tomorrow, defines the UK and the British there should be a sense of affiliation to the as “a community of communities” rather than a nation. It Isles supranational entity known as “these islands”. Perhaps says the description of its inhabitants as British “will never one day there will be an adjective to refer to this do on its own”’. (Daily Telegraph, 10 October) entity, similar in power perhaps to the unifying word “Nordic” in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. ‘… the hope of a new adjective, like Nordic for But for the present no such adjective is in sight. It is Scandinavia, for the UK’s separate parts;’ (Guardian, 8 entirely plain, however, that the word “British” will November) never do on its own.’ (Para 3.28, p.38) ‘… dismisses the term “British” as no longer having any future.’ (Times, 11 October)

‘Community of ‘England Scotland and Wales are at a turning point in ‘[The] report … defines the UK as “a community of communities’ their history.They could become narrow and inward- communities” rather than a nation.’ (Daily Telegraph, 10 looking, with rifts between themselves and among their October) regions and communities, or they could develop as a community of communities and citizens. Britain as a ‘… its suggestion that Britain … should be replaced with whole could be such a community, and so could each the term “community of communities”’ (Guardian, 11 part or region, and each city, town and neighbourhood.’ October) (Executive summary, the opening sentences, p.xiii)

The national story ‘What does Britain stand for? Of what may citizens be ‘[The report says] the nation’s very history should be justly proud? How has the imagined nation stood the rethought and certain aspects “jettisoned, revised or test of time? What should be preserved, what reworked”’. (Telegraph, 10 October) jettisoned, what revised or reworked? How can everyone have a recognised place within the larger ‘In the latest example of political correctness gone mad it picture? These are questions about Britain as an is now racist to be British. Evidently we should be called a imagined community, and about how a genuinely community of communities and our history “revised, multicultural Britain urgently needs to reimagine itself.’ rethought or jettisoned”.’ (Star, 12 October) (Para 2.5, p.15)

MEB-related events In Search of a British Identity – Race and Identity on the Agenda on London’s South Bank Thursday 8 February 2001, 9.30 am, Greenwich A season of events in January and February, in the Royal Professional Development Centre, a training event for Festival Hall’s Purcell Room and Voice Box, includes a live teachers and headteachers organised by Greenwich debate at 7.30 pm on 31 January. Journalist Ekow Eshun will Education Services, led by Robin Richardson. Participants chair the event, and he will be joined by Yasmin Alibhai- welcome from other local authorities. Details from Brown, Billy Bragg, Seamus Taylor and Lola Young to debate James Morrison, Greenwich Education, Riverside House, ‘Recreating a British Identity’.This discussion responds Woolwich High Street, London SE18 6DF, specifically to The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain. Other events tel: 020-8312-5075. in the series include: Living with Difference • A Nation of Shopkeepers – Sukhdev Sandhu The London Jewish Cultural Centre launches a new (3 February, 12 noon) series of talks and events for 2001. On 30 January • Legacies of Empire I – Bill Schwarz (3 February, 3 pm) Trevor Phillips speaks about being ‘British and Proud of • Legacies of Empire II – Catherine Hall (3 February, 5 pm) It’; and on 13 February Bhikhu Parekh, Edie Friedman • Britain and Asylum-seekers – Jeremy Harding and Antony Lerman participate in a panel discussion on (6 February, 7.30 pm) ‘Jewish Identity in Multi-Ethnic Britain’. Both events begin • Descendants of Soldiers – Dominic Rai (8 February, at 8 pm at The Old House, Kidderpore Avenue, London 7.30 pm) NW3. Details of these and other events in this Contact the Box Office on 020-7960-4242; or book online programme from Janette on 020-7431-0345 at www.rfh.org.uk [e-mail: [email protected]; www.ljcc.org.uk]. If you are organising an event in the coming months, and would like it listed here, please contact us on [email protected], or at 133 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4JA [tel: 020-7600-9666; fax: 020-7600-8529].

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 17 Notes from Post-publication Events

JPR Panel Discussion Macpherson Report, Professor Parekh alerted his audience Just a week after the national launch and publication of to the Telegraph’s misreading of the Report’s ‘the term The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, the Institute for British has attracted racial connotations’.Their substitution Jewish Policy Research (JPR) hosted a panel discussion on of ‘racist’ for racial connotations was made with, in his MULTI-ETHNIC the Report’s content and significance for the UK today. view,‘a certain amount of prejudice’. BRITAIN The 400-page Report, which calls for sweeping ‘We just meant that the word is associated with white political, cultural and educational changes to enable the people, which has been said hundreds of times before. But UK to become a country that ‘celebrates diversity’, was the stories led to a grave injustice, not just to us and to released 8 months after the report of the Commission on black people but to the country as a whole,’ he said. the Representation of the Interests of the British Jewish Offensive and threatening letters, and abusive phone calls Community, established by JPR.The JPR publication,A targeting the Trust, its staff and individual Commission Community of Communities, is prominently cited in the members,‘were not reacting to the report but to the Parekh Report as advocating that British Jews ‘should report of the report’. accept the description of ethnic group, which will give Doreen Lawrence, as one of the panel speakers, said the them a greater sense of belonging and security in both Lawrence family were still subject to media hostility, their Jewish and British identities’. particularly since they had been awarded compensation by Moreover, write the authors of the Parekh Report, the Metropolitan Police. Stories had accused them of just ‘many [British Jews] now say that the focus of communal being after money.‘Journalists don’t like being told about attention must be on values, culture and religious practice, their responsibilities, but being a journalist does not mean on civilisation, and they are concerned with how to you are not a citizen with responsibilities. It needs all of us maintain Jewish distinctiveness in British society. Their to promote a positive image of black people in the press’, desire for cultural recognition in a pluralist society offers Mrs Lawrence said. probably more potential for shared goals with Asian and (Adapted from Tim Gopsill’s conference report in the Journalist, black people than the shared history of racist oppression.’ December 2000, p. 13) The JPR’s panel discussion was chaired by former JPR executive director Antony Lerman, director of European Equality Charter programmes for Yad Hanadiv and a member of the On the same day, 21 October, the NUJ Black Members Commission on Multi-Ethnic Britain. Speakers included Council issued a Charter for Equality in the Media.This commission chairman Lord Parekh, emeritus professor of succinct document recognises that the ‘colour blind’ political theory at the University of Hull, and Sarah approach to employment in the media has ‘failed to Spencer, director of citizenship and governance at the deliver a workforce commensurate with the diversity of Institute for Public Policy Research. contemporary society’.The charter makes four key points Lord Parekh told the 200 guests that the involvement on employment practices, covering: equal ops priorities in of the British Jewish community in the field of race collective bargaining; effective use of monitoring in relations had been significant. ‘Jews have helped clear the selection processes; setting long-term target figures for fair path for other minorities in this country,’ he said. and equal representation; and producing an annual social Responding to press criticism of the report, Lord report. On the subject of training, the advantages of Parekh stressed that its major contribution was that it monitoring, of scrutinising recruitment processes, of sought to make significant strides in race relations in teaching codes of ethics and anti-racism, and of improving recognition of the changing character of the UK on the access to training for black and minority ethnic students political, social and ethnic levels.‘The report is about the are all urged on trades unions involved in validating character of Britain as seen through the lens of minorities,’ courses. said Lord Parekh. ‘There was a sense that the distinction A copy of the Charter for Equality in the Media is available from the between ethnicity and race should be broken – one of the National Union of Journalists,Attn Kyran Connolly,Asst Organiser,Acorn primary concerns of the report was to break that link.’ House, 314-320 Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1X 8DP. JPR Board Member Larry Levine asked the panel what was being done to ensure that the timely and important NUJ Support for the Commission’s Report work of the Commission is not forgotten.‘Our response is Both the Black Members Council and London Freelance to stand up and fight for it,’ replied Lord Parekh,‘and to Branch have proposed supportive motions for the Union’s make sure that those who feel it is valuable take the Annual Delegate Meeting in March 2001.The motion initiative to move things forward.’ selected (from the BMC – no. 39) welcomes the Report’s (Adapted from Winston Pickett’s report for the JPR newsletter, with positive contribution to the debate on race equality and permission) diversity, criticises the ‘feeding frenzy by lazy journalists’, agrees with the report’s basic tenet on the multi-cultural, NUJ day on ‘The Media after Lawrence’ multi-faith, multi-ethnic nature of British society, and On 21 October, at a conference organised by the NUJ urges journalists, NUJ members in particular, to help Black Members Council to debate how the handling of educate their colleagues and the reading public to race in the media might have changed since the ‘consider our future together’.

18 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 New, enforceable, positive duties: attributes of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act LEGISLATION The Race Relations (Amendment) Act is the first ...This new major reform of the Race Relations Act 1976 in nearly duty on a quarter of a century, writes Gurbux Singh, Chair of the public authorities Commission for Racial Equality. Not only does it extend may be the most protection against racial discrimination to all who perform functions Gurbux Singh: significant ‘A Government willing to Act.’ of a public nature, it will place a new, enforceable, positive duty on aspect of the public authorities. new Act ...

The Race Relations The basic provisions of the 1976 For the first time, the full force (Amendment) Act is the UK Act will otherwise remain of the Race Relations Act will Government’s response to one unchanged. apply to the regulatory or of the key recommendations of The new Act makes it unlawful enforcement powers exercised by the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry for any person who performs bodies such as local authorities, Report, which called for the full functions of a public nature to the customs and excise service, force of race relations legislation discriminate on racial grounds the prison service or the police. to apply to all police officers. In while carrying out any of these For example, the Act makes it receiving the Inquiry Report, the functions.This means that all the unlawful for any police officer to Home Secretary, Jack Straw, functions of central and local discriminate on racial grounds in publicly committed himself to government, the police and the carrying out stops and searches, introducing legislation that would NHS will be subject to the Race arresting and detaining suspects, bring all the functions of all public Relations Act. assisting victims and controlling bodies, not just the police, within It will also be unlawful for demonstrations.The new Act also the scope of the Race Relations private agencies carrying out makes it unlawful for any private Act 1976. public functions such as running organisation carrying out such So what will the new Act do? prisons, immigration detention functions to discriminate on racial centres or schools, or carrying grounds; for example, security Protect and Enforce out various local authority companies transporting prisoners While the focus of the new Act functions, to discriminate on racial or assisting immigration control is on the public sector – central grounds. Exceptions to this (see over). and local government, the police include judicial proceedings and Also, the new Act makes Chief and the NHS – the standards decisions not to prosecute, and Officers liable for all acts of expected of public bodies will certain immigration and discrimination by any officer under inevitably influence practice in the nationality functions where it will their command, unless they can private sector. Once in force, the remain lawful to discriminate on show that they have taken all new Act will provide wider grounds of nationality or ethnic reasonable steps to prevent protection against racial or national origin – but not for discrimination. Individual officers discrimination, and public race or colour. who discriminate will also be liable. authorities will be required to Public authorities have been The new positive duty that the incorporate racial equality into subject to the 1976 Act in relation new Act places on public bodies everything they do. to their employment practices, will also apply to the police.This The 1976 Act is therefore and to their activities in the areas new duty on public authorities strengthened by the new Act in of education and housing, and in may be the most significant two major ways: the provision of goods, facilities aspect of the new Act because it • It will extend the protection and services.The important gives statutory force to the against racial discrimination change is that it is now unlawful imperative of tackling institutional • It will place a new duty, an for any public authority to racism. enforceable positive duty, on discriminate on racial grounds in A general duty will require public authorities carrying out any of its functions. public authorities, in carrying out

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 19 their functions, to have due regard for the need to eliminate unlawful Looking at the Race Relations Act 1976 and the new discrimination, and promote amendments as a whole, the following are examples of equality of opportunity and good direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and race relations. victimisation:

Compliance • A black prisoner who receives harsher discipline because all black LEGISLATION The Home Secretary will be able, prisoners are regarded as being ‘more aggressive’ will be able to by order, to impose specific duties claim direct discrimination. that stipulate in more detail what This new each public authority must do in • If a local medical practice were to refuse to accept as patients Act goes order better to comply with the tenants from particular housing estates which had beyond many general duty.There could be disproportionately large numbers of ethnic minority households, of the recom- different regulations for different this could constitute unlawful indirect discrimination, unless the mendations types of authorities. In Scotland, practice could justify its action. of the the Scottish Executive will be able Stephen to impose specific duties on • A person who is regularly stopped by the police for no legitimate Lawrence Scottish public authorities.The reason after giving a statement in support of a friend’s complaint Inquiry CRE will be able to issue codes of of racism by the police may be able to bring a case of victimisation Report. practice providing practical against the police. guidance that will enable public authorities to understand what they must do to comply with their general and specific duties. notice.This notice will require the the new provisions. For example, The critical feature of the new authority to comply with their public sector employers should duty is that it will be enforceable. duties, and to inform the CRE of talk to their employees and to If the CRE is satisfied that a public the measures taken to bring this people affected by their policies authority is not complying with about. If necessary, the CRE can and practices, including people their specific duties, the CRE will ask the county court, or sheriff’s from ethnic minorities.They be able to serve a compliance court in Scotland, to order the should pay attention to authority to comply. employees’ concerns and their Extract from the Statement by Gurbux Singh, Compliance with the new duty perceptions of the organisation’s Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, to could also be the subject of stand on racism and race equality. the leaders of the Parliamentary parties in inspections or audits by, for They should monitor the Westminster example, OFSTED, HM workforce and the outcomes of On 20 December 2000 Gurbux Singh wrote to the Inspectorate for Schools in policies.Where evidence from leaders of the Parliamentary parties in Westminster, Scotland, HM Inspectorate of monitoring shows unequal inviting them to ‘join with the CRE in working to ensure Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of outcomes between different that the coming general election campaign is Constabulary in Scotland, HM ethnic groups, organisations characterised by one thing at least – agreement that we Inspectorate for Prisons, the Audit should consider what changes are discuss race issues and don’t play with them’. Commission, the Accounts needed, and take action to He pointed out that ‘during the 1997 election the leaders of all the political parties signed up to a special Commission, the National Audit prevent direct or indirect agreement the CRE had drafted: a very simple charter Office and Audit Scotland. discrimination and to promote of good practice which committed them to take action The CRE already issues codes greater equality. against any of their members, campaigners or of practice containing practical Where organisations have candidates who did or said anything likely to stir up examples of how different types already developed good policies prejudice.’ of public authorities can comply on racial equality, they should The Chair of the CRE made reference to the with their general and specific ensure that these are understood passing of Race Relations (Amendment) Act, which duties.The CRE intends to and implemented at every level ‘maps out a new duty for public bodies to work for produce codes for central and reinforced through staff race equality, and which has been done with all party government departments, local performance appraisals and support. An important and vital new piece of legislation, authorities, educational bodies, disciplinary procedures. which will help to make this society better for everyone in it, has emerged without politicians scoring points police authorities and the NHS, as This new Act goes beyond over each other, and that is just what good race well as a general code for all many of the recommendations of relations needs.’ other authorities. Before the the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry He urged party leaders to ‘join with me in discussing codes are submitted to the Report. Provided that our public how we can take this debate forward in a way which Home Secretary for authorities seize this challenge to ensures that the British people get what they deserve parliamentary approval, the CRE tackle, root and branch, institutional and need – a political process which improves and does will consult widely on them. racism, this Bill could open the not damage race relations’. Employers should begin to door to real progress towards The Commission’s website is: www.cre.gov.uk bring themselves into line with racial equality in the 21st century.

20 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 Susceptibility to racism and xenophobia in Central and

Eastern Europe XENOPHOBIA Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, Nils Muiznieks, looks at IN EUROPE how the struggle against racism and xenophobia is conducted in countries of Central and Eastern Europe. In this adaptation of a background paper delivered in a preparatory seminar for the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, he touches on issues of national identity, hate speech and the role of law.

Conventional wisdom has it that However, surveys also bely the democracies and the divergence in the countries of Central and impression of nationalism run values between Western and Eastern Europe are more amok: while 31% of respondents in Eastern Europe, while ignoring susceptible to the scourge of the region claim to identify change in the region. However, I racism and xenophobia than older primarily with their nation state, submit that the Central and Eastern market democracies. Indeed, one around 20% put either ‘Europe’ or European countries do face does not have to look hard to their locality as a discover glaring signs of intolerance first or second in the region: anti-Semitism without preference when Table 1 Tolerance towards Others (%) [a] Jews, communists becoming offered the Country Tolerant Mixed Dogmatic ‘national communists’ in an attempt alternatives of W Germany 45.3 37.1 17.6 to salvage a shred of legitimacy, a Europe, Country, Sweden 39.7 9.3 11.0 ‘democratic opposition’ often Region, Local, drawing inspiration from interwar Other and Don’t E Germany 34.9 38.1 27.0 extremist nationalism, real and Know (see Rose Switzerland 31.6 43.5 24.8 symbolic walls separating Roma and Haerpfer Spain 23.4 43.5 33.1 from the majority population, not 1998a: 23). Norway 21.7 45.8 32.5 to mention ethnic cleansing and a Moreover, over government willing to destroy its the past decade Croatia 21.6 42.3 36.1 own cities in order to ‘save’ them fewer and fewer Slovenia 20.1 38.8 41.1 from ‘terrorists’. respondents in Finland 19.9 44.0 36.1 While the dangers of transition most Central Australia 18.5 46.8 34.6 are real, comparative research and East suggests caution in drawing quick European Bulgaria 14.5 41.7 43.9 conclusions about racism and anti- countries USA 8.9 35.6 55.6 democratic trends in contemporary perceived ethnic Latvia 8.3 50.2 41.5 Central and Eastern Europe.1 As minorities as a Estonia 4.8 46.1 49.1 Richard Rose, the doyenne of threat (Table 2). survey research in the region, has Thus the Yugoslavia 4.5 39.4 56.1 pointed out, in all 10 Central and conventional Poland 4.5 30.3 65.2 Eastern European countries wisdom of a Belarus 4.1 34.5 61.4 applying to join the EU,‘there has region prone to Bosnia-Herzegovina 3.4 25.8 70.7 been at least one change of racism, government through the ballot box, xenophobia and Russia 3.3 31.7 64.0 ...the and often two’. Moreover,‘voters related Ukraine 3.3 31.7 65.0 conventional have consistently rejected pathologies Lithuania 3.0 27.4 69.6 wisdom of a undemocratic alternatives’ (Rose should be taken region prone Armenia 2.9 29.4 67.8 1999: 52). Research on social with a grain of to racism, tolerance (measured by responses salt.The Moldova 2.7 26.0 71.3 xenophobia to questions on homosexuality, purveyors of this Macedonia 2.0 28.5 69.5 and related prostitution, abortion and divorce) wisdom often Georgia 0.5 21.3 78.2 pathologies does suggest that more former overstate the should be communist states are at the low degree of [a] ‘Tolerance’was measured by responses to questions on taken with a homosexuality, prostitution, abortion and divorce. end of the scale compared to older tolerance in Source: World Values Survey, 1997-97, in G Amato and J Batt grain of democracies (see Table 1). older (1999: 79). salt...

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 21 Table 2 Ethnic Minorities: a Diminishing Threat in Central and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Eastern Europe the government of Bulgaria ‘is in Q. Do you think that ethnic groups or minorities in our country pose a big threat, fact the main source of instigation some threat, a little threat or no threat to peace and security in this society? of hatred and even violence towards some ethnic and religious Perceiving big threat or some threat (%) minorities’. No administrative Country 1993 1995 1998 Change (%) XENOPHOBIA sanctions for violation of hate IN EUROPE Slovakia 53 49 43 -10 speech laws have ever been Romania 60 33 32 -28 applied in Bulgaria ‘despite the fact that a number of radio and TV Bulgaria 46 36 29 -17 operators were instigating, some Czech Republic 44 14 25 -19 systematically, ethnic and religious Hungary 26 15 19 -7 hatred’ (Bulgarian Helsinki Poland 35 8 17 -18 Committee 1999). Outlawing or punishing hate Slovenia 13 20 10 -3 speech is dangerous territory, as CEE mean 40 25 25 -15 often the very provisions designed Croatia 57 42 39 -18 to protect minorities have been Ukraine 24 15 15 -9 used against them.‘Free speech’ defenders (mostly in the United Belarus 30 14 14 -16 States) believe that the only Source: Rose and Haerpfer (1998b: 41). appropriate response to hate speech is a free debate and particular challenges in coping with basis of Article 317 of the Penal educational work. Moreover, those racist speech and behaviour. Code on incitement to racial in favour of such debate have Moreover, it will take some time hatred. In 1997 and 1998, head of argued that there is no inherent before the impact of traditional the Romanian Department for the link between racist speech and remedies, such as legal sanctions Protection of National Minorities racist behaviour. and education, will be felt. At the Gyorgy Tokay urged the prosecutor Critics of ‘letting 1000 flowers same time, the Central and East to start proceedings in a number bloom’ point out that aggressive European countries are already of hate speech cases, but to no hate speech actually stifles debate being confronted with new effect (see Andreescu 1999). and that the first to suffer on such challenges related to EU expansion Hungary’s Constitutional Court a so-called level playing field are and globalisation that threaten to ruled in 1992 that the minorities and women. Moreover, compound existing problems. misdemeanour of incitement numerous international human against a community established by rights instruments (e.g. the Coping with Hate Speech in the Criminal Code was International Convention on the the New Democracies unconstitutional, as it violated Elimination of All Forms of Racial One of the undisputed freedom of expression. Discrimination, the International achievements in the Central and In some countries, politicians of Covenant on Civil and Political Eastern European countries since a certain stripe have exploited Rights) call for prohibiting hate the fall of communism has been reluctance to place limits on speech. the consolidation of freedom of expression and have themselves In the aftermath of the slaughter expression.Thus, it is not surprising engaged in hate speech. For in former Yugoslavia, the line that political elites in the region example, in September 1999 the between hate speech and violence have been loath to set limits on Slovak parliament decided not to has become very blurred.There, as this freedom by punishing those strip immunity from former well as in the genocide in Rwanda, who incite national, racial or chairman of the radical right-wing the media played a critical role in religious hatred or advocate racial Slovak national party and current instigating violence and promoting In the discrimination or violence. MP Jan Slota so that he could face conflict.3 For the new democracies aftermath of In the almost 10 years since it prosecution for insulting both the of Central and Eastern Europe, the slaughter regained independence, Latvia has Hungarian and Roma minorities at locating democratic guideposts for in former not prosecuted a single case of a pre-election rally and urging dealing with hate speech is quite Yugoslavia, hate speech, for which it recently Slovaks to attack Budapest (IHF difficult.West European practice is the line received criticism from the UN 2000). Slota had earlier quite diverse and the case law of between hate Committee on the Elimination of distinguished himself by claiming the European Court of Human speech and Racial Discrimination.2 In Romania, that ‘the only way to deal with Rights is not a particularly useful violence has as of October 1999, only one Gypsies is with a big whip and a guide. In the key ECHR decision of become very person had been sentenced to a small yard’ (see Cibulka 1999). Jersild v. Denmark in 1994,4 the blurred. 2-year suspended term on the According to a recent report by Strasbourg court found that a

22 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 Danish TV journalist had been be required to adopt and and Eastern Europe can be said to unjustly punished for airing a clip implement the emerging anti- be making significant progress in about extremists.The ruling discrimination acquis – the new ‘catching up’ to Western Europe in suggested that journalists cannot directives intended to address terms of anti-racist work, as the be punished for reporting on discrimination on the basis of racial legal systems are slowly being extremists, especially if they and ethnic origin and in the strengthened, teaching and distance themselves from their occupational realm.7 Implementing textbooks are undergoing reforms subject matter, but did not provide the acquis could lead to far- and civil society is consolidating its XENOPHOBIA any guidance on where the line reaching legal changes in the role. However, a number of new IN EUROPE between protected and region, as the directives contain a challenges have already appeared unprotected speech should be number of new departures: the that threaten to compound drawn for others. concept of indirect discrimination, existing problems. Foremost among Combating Another transnational challenge shifting the burden of proof in these new challenges are making discrimination is the relatively recent appearance some cases, and providing greater the shift from being countries of implies the of racism on the internet. If opportunities for NGOs to bring emigration to countries of willingness to attempts to regulate hate speech cases on behalf of discrimination immigration and asylum, making share power in traditional media are fraught victims. the painful changes needed for with with difficulties, the task is all the However, those who seek to accession to the EU, and dealing minorities... more daunting on the internet.The harness law to promote equality with racism in an era of new scope of the challenge is hinted at and punish intolerance in Central information technologies. in the 1999 report on extremists and Eastern Europe face a During the communist era, in by Germany’s internal security formidable task. Dmitrina Petrova, the rare instances in which the service. Germany witnessed an Director of the European Roma countries of Central and Eastern increase in the number of Rights Center, has outlined the Europe admitted refugees, these rightwing extremist internet home numerous obstacles to the were political decisions, pages from 200 in 1998 to 330 in development of public interest law ungoverned by international 1999. Many sites use North in the region: the past degradation norms, rules or principles (Zend American service providers outside of law in the communist era, weak 1998: 208). Since the revolutions of of European jurisdiction. Moreover, judiciaries, restrictions on standing, 1989, most of the countries of the new technologies, such as short judicial review and the right to legal region have become subject to the message services on mobile assistance, lack of access to international refugee regime.The phones and internet-enabled WAP information, poor records, and a first country to accept refugees handsets, will provide extremists deficit of appropriately trained was Hungary, which witnessed a with opportunities to mobilise lawyers (Petrova 1996: 62-72). mass influx of ethnic Hungarians more quickly and effectively than in While strengthening weak from Romania in 1987 and a wave the past.5 Fortunately, the internet institutions and legislation to cope of East Germans in 1989 (Zend and new technologies are also with racism and discrimination is 1998: 212-15). As can be seen in being used by those seeking to important, so is political will. Table 3, most other countries in analyse and combat racism and Combating discrimination implies the region began to receive extremist activity and to promote the willingness to share power with significant numbers of refugees, minority rights.6 The battleground minorities. For many of the political mostly from the Yugoslav wars, of racism and xenophobia is elites in the region, the idea of starting in 1992. moving to a new technological sharing power with minorities is plane for which the governments still quite foreign, as national elites The Baltic states of Estonia, of Central and Eastern Europe are only recently assumed power in Latvia and Lithuania became ill-prepared, at least for the newly sovereign states. For subject to the international refugee moment. example, the Estonian and Latvian regime only in the late 1990s. political elites, backed by large Given the history of mass Legal and Quasi-legal nationalist constituencies, spent immigration to the Baltic area from Measures to Fight Racism most of the 1990s resisting other parts of the Soviet Union and Discrimination international pressure to liberalise during much of the post-war era, An important tool for addressing citizenship provisions, as rapidly the reluctance of the Baltic racism and discrimination is the expanding the electorate to governments to receive refugees in law.The countries of Central and include the sizeable Russian- understandable. For example, by Eastern Europe already possess at speaking immigrant minorities the end of 1999, Latvia had least a rudimentary legal would invariably change the granted refugee status to a total of framework to combat racism domestic balance of ethnic power.8 only six persons (IHFHR 2000: (Swiss Institute of Comparative 239). As economic development Law 1998). Moreover, as most of New Challenges and proceeds and the countries of the the countries of the region aspire Prospects region approach membership in to EU membership, they will soon Most of the countries of Central the EU, however, they will invariably

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 23 Table 3. Indicative Number of Refugees in Central and Eastern Europe, 1989-98 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Belarus - . - . - . - . - . 1,800 - . 30,500 50 80 Bulgaria - . - . - . 220 90 1,100 50 1,400 390 240 Czech XENOPHOBIA Republic - . - . 690 9,400 240 1,200 2,700 2,300 1,700 1,800 IN EUROPE Hungary 27,000 45,100 73,800 32.400 3,000 2,900 11,400 7,500 5,900 5,400 Poland - . - . 170 2,700 810 390 600 600 840 900 Romania - . - . 650 520 1,200 1,200 220 270 630 990 Russia - . - . - . 17,100 44,700 50,200 42,300 205,500 237,700 128,600 Slovakia - . - . - . - . 1,500 160 1,900 1,400 690 420 Ukraine - . - . - . - . - . 5,200 5,200 3,600 4,600 6,100 Lithuania - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . 10 30

Source: UNHCR (1998: table 4).

be faced with the prospect of many people their jobs and ESML/ps/Ex&Dem.html]. See also the having to absorb increasing sense of security. Mainstream new Consortium of Minority Resources numbers of refugees and politicians will defend these [http://www.osi.hu/lgi/comir]. immigrants.This, in turn, will measures by pointing to 7 See the CEC’s Proposal for a Council challenge policy-makers and could pressure from the EU, which Directive,‘Implementing the principle of provoke a xenophobic backlash will in turn open the door to equal treatment between persons similar to what recently took place a nationalist backlash from irrespective of racial and ethnic origin’ within the EU itself. extremists from the left or (COM 1999, 566 final), and ‘Establishing Membership in the EU, the the right. (Mudde 1998: 47) a general framework for equal overriding policy goal of most of treatment in employment and the countries in the region, could occupation’ (COM 1999, 565 final), well provoke the further growth of integration. Since the affluent Brussels, 25 November. extreme right parties. As Cas countries of the EU are such 8 See Pettai, and Tsilevich and Antane, both Mudde has argued, important reference points for the papers in Opalski (1998). See also However, membership of the candidate countries, the course of Birckenbach (1996). EU will also have a number of the struggle in the East could well positive effects that could render be influenced by the fate of the References the countries of Central and anti-racist struggle in the West. Amato, Giuliano and Batt, Judy (1999) Eastern Europe less susceptible to What kind of an example are the The Long-term Implications of EU Enlargement:The Nature of the racism and xenophobia in the long EU countries projecting? New Border, Florence: Robert term. EU membership will facilitate Schuman Centre for Advanced educational and legal reform, Notes Studies and Forward Studies, Unit, thereby strengthening the long- 9 The survey results cited below are European Commission, pp. 19, 24, 79, 86–7. term capacity of the region to compiled and analysed in Amato and Andreesco, Gabriel (1999) ‘Shadow cope with diversity and to punish Batt (1999), pp. 19, 24, 79, 86-7. Report’ to the government’s report those who seek to undermine it 2 ‘Concluding Observations of the to the monitoring body under the through acts of discrimination or Committee on the Elimination of Racial Framework Convention for the violence. Cooperation between Discrimination: Latvia’ (CERD/C/55/misc. Protection of National Minorities, October the region’s law enforcement 39/Rev. 4). [www.riga.lv/minelres/reports/romania/r 3 agencies – a prerequisite for See Slpasak (1997) and Lenkova (1998). omania_NGO.htm]. combating transnational extremist For an analysis of Slovenia, see Kuzmanic Birckenbach, Hanne-Margret (1996) groups – will only deepen with EU (1999). Preventive Diplomacy through Fact- “Additional 4 European Court of Human Rights, Case of finding: How International doubts as to Jersild v. Denmark (36/1993/431/510), Organisations Review the Conflict the wisdom over Citizenship in Estonia and To meet all the Strasbourg, 23 September 1994. Latvia, Hamburg: Schleswig-Holstein of enacting requirements for acceptance 5 For a summary of the report, see Institute for Peace Research. Holocaust into the EU, the countries Simonian (2000). Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (1999) denial law that are now on the 6 See, for example, the new ‘Standing Group Report submitted Pursuant to Article 25 Paragraph 1 of the stem from accession list … will have to on Extremism and Democracy’ and its the glare of Framework Convention for the make cuts in social services electronic newsletter Protection of National Minorities, publicity” and subsidies that will cost [http://www.bath.ac.uk/Departments/ September

24 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 [www.riga.lv/minelres/reports/bulgaria/ Europe. the Media, Belgrade: Media Center. bulgaria_NGO.htm] Petrova, Dmitrina (1996) ‘Political and Swiss Institute of Comparative Law Cibulka, F. (1999) ‘The Radical Right in Legal Obstacles to the Development (1998) Legal Measures to Combat Slovakia’, in S. Ramet (ed.) The of Public Interest Law’, East Racism and Intolerance in the Radical Right in Central and Eastern European Constitutional Review Member States of the Council of Europe since 1989, University Park: 5(4), fall: 62–72. Europe, Strasbourg: European The Pennsylvania State University Pettai,Vello (1998) ‘Emerging Ethnic Commission Against Racism and Press, p. 126. Democracy in Estonia and Latvia’, in Intolerance. IHFHR (2000) Human Rights in the Magda Opalski (ed.) (1998), pp. Tsilevich, Boris and Antane, Aina OSCE Region: the Balkans, the 15–32. (1998) ‘The Problem of Citizenship XENOPHOBIA Caucasus, Europe, Central Asia and Rose, Richard (1999) ‘Another Great in Latvia’, in Magda Opalski (ed.) IN EUROPE North America, Report 2000, Transformation’, Journal of (1998), pp. 33–50. Vienna: International Helsinki Democracy 10(1): 52. UNHCR (1998) United Nations High Federation for Human Rights, p. 337. Rose, R. and Haerpfer, C. (1998a) New Commissioner for Refugees, 1998 Kuzmanic,Tonci A. (1999) Hate Speech Democracies Barometer V:A 12- Statistical Overview [at in Slovenia: Slovenian Racism, Sexism Nation Survey, Glasgow: Centre for http://www.unhcr.ch/statist/98oview/t and Chauvinism, Ljubljana: Open the Study of Public Policy, University abl4.htm]. Society Institute — Slovenia. of Strathclyde, p. 23. Zend, Natalie (1998) ‘Hungary’s Lenkova, Mariana (ed.) (1998) ‘Hate Rose, R. and Haerpfer, C. (1998b) Migration Policy, 1987-1996: External Speech’ in the Balkans, Athens: Trends in Democracies and Markets: Influences and Domestic ETEPE, the International Helsinki New Democracies Barometer Imperatives’, in Magda Opalski (ed.) Federation for Human Rights. 1991-98, Glasgow: Centre for the (1998), pp. 208, 212–15. Mudde, Cas (1998) ‘The New Roots of Study of Public Policy, University of ______Extremism’,Transitions 5(7) July: 47. Strathclyde, p. 41. The views expressed in this paper are Opalski, Magda (ed.) (1998) Managing Simonian, Haig (2000) ‘Skinheads those of Nils Muiznieks and not Diversity in Plural Societies: Blamed for East German Racial necessarily those of his organisation. For a Minorities, Migration and Nation- Attacks’, Financial Times, 5 April. longer version of this paper, contact the building and Post-Communist Slpasak, Svetlana (1997) The War author by email on: [email protected] Europe, Ontario: Forum Eastern Started at Maksimir: Hate Speech in

European Conference Against Racism In 2001, the United Nations (UN) convenes Forum’s consideration. little public attention.’1 a world conference Against Racism, Racial The ministerial conference prepared Draft With palpable indignation, Grass Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related General Conclusions (DGCs) and a Political continued:‘From time to time a suicide at Intolerance in South Africa. For this major Declaration (PD), the contents of which will the Frankfurt “deportation airport” causes a event, which will run from 29 August to 7 be fed into the World Conference.Thirteen stir for a day or two, before the law-based September, four regions around the world recommendations from the NGO Forum State calms down again.’ Grass is careful to have to convene preparatory conferences, Report, including that key insertion on the acknowledge that while this depicts the whose findings and recommendations will be vexed question of immigration and asylum, situation in Germany, it is no less prevalent fed into the world conference. omitted from the DGC, were incorporated in other parts of Europe, which is The world and preparatory conferences into the final version of this document. ‘increasingly seeing itself as a fortress … are governmental, but it has been decided by A number of NGOs, including the Chair Ambient fears are fuelled by our latent the UN that the voices and experiences of of the Forum, the Rev Arlington Trotman, xenophobia, which is frequently encouraged Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the Chief NGO Rapporteur, Ms Maria out of base political motives.’2 working on these issues have much to Sierra Miguel of SOS Racismo-Espána, who The UN World Conference will, of contribute to the process. UN High presented the Forum’s final report to the course, be influenced by the European effort; Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary conference, took part in the governmental but fine words and plush promises will never Robinson, is urging each region to hold conference (workshops and plenary sessions). attain morally realistic significance until NGO Forums preceding their governmental In addition to the usual business of receiving visible and effective changes in policies, meetings. reports in the chamber, a significant (and practices and attitudes to the world’s two- Held in Europe in October 2000, the first well-supported) protest by Austrian NGOs thirds people and all minorities become a preparatory conference was entitled All was mounted against the Austrian reality. Different,All Equal: From Principle to Government Minister during his speech to Practice, European contribution to the world the conference.A red A4 card was held aloft This report is by Arlington Trotman (Secretary conference against Racism, Racial which simply read:‘No alliance with racism.’ of the CCRJ) and Michelynn Laflèche (Deputy Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related This was a particularly effective lobby. Director of Runnymede). Mary Robinson’s speech Intolerance. In Strasbourg some 570 Renowned author Gunter Grass delivered Government representatives from the 41 one of the most impressive contributions of to the European Conference against Racism can be member States of the Council of Europe the plenary. From bewailing the tyranny of found in the same issue of Church & Race that attended the conference (11-13 October), right-wing racist extremism and violent first carried this report in full – Vol. 15(3) Winter and approximately 200 NGOs participated fatalities, he proceeded to reflect on its cause: 2000, pp. 2-3. in the preceding Forum (10-11 October). ‘…the decision to dismantle the Four themes had been chosen by the Federal Constitution’s provisions on Endnotes Council: legal protection against racism; asylum. Ever since this decision was taken 1 Address by Gunter Grass, European contribution policies and practices to combat racism; it has become usual practice in the law- education and awareness-raising to combat based State to mete out inhuman to the world conference against Racism, Racial racism, related discrimination and extremism, treatment to asylum-seekers.Worse still, Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related and information, communication and the such treatment has become so Intolerance, Strasbourg, 11-13 October 2000, media.The NGOs insightfully added commonplace that even the most pp.2-3. ‘immigration and asylum’ to the list for the scandalous incidents now attract precious 2 Ibid., p. 4.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 25 purposes were announced, and Immigration – the procedures allowing individuals ‘of outstanding ability’ to apply for permits which would allow them new national interest? to enter to seek work have been inaugurated. ‘Immigration policy must protect and promote our In October, Employment ASYLUM & national interest, both economically and socially.’ So said Minister Margaret Hodge added IMMIGRATION to the volume of public Barbara Roche, Immigration Minister at the Home Office pronouncements on immigration on 11 September 2000. Don Flynn, policy and projects liberalisation.‘If we are to maintain worker at the Joint Council for the Welfare of our competitiveness and to be ahead of the game, we need to Immigrants, examines the context in which ‘our have a system which enables us national interest’ operates. to attract the brightest and the best and which enables us to The British government is path well trodden by the leading respond swiftly and efficiently to currently refurbishing financial press and employers’ changing labour market the edifice of its representatives in the key global pressures.,’ she said.The number immigration control services industries. David of work permits in the year ahead system, apparently Blunkett’s Department for was expected to rise by a further from the foundations Education and Employment had 40%, to a total of 130,000 upwards. New principles are actually set the ball rolling for a people. being sought to underpin the more relaxed labour migration Commentary on this walls of a fortress which had scheme by doubling its issue of substantial relaxation of previously operated in the belief work permits, to 90,000, during a immigration control procedures that immigration is bad, and we one-year period.The DfEE had for labour migrants invariably should have as little of it as we announced in May 2000 plans to describes the pressure on can possibly get away with.Very provide employers with ‘a one- government as coming from the few people, outside the editorial stop shop’ for issuing permits, acknowledged skill shortages in offices of leading national tabloid allowing processing time to be hi-tech trades, plus demographic newspapers, now believe this. cut for 80% of all applicants by changes which have raised the In proclaiming herself an March 2001. New pilot schemes ratio of older people to active enthusiastic supporter of the to allow international companies workers throughout all the benefits of immigration, the UK’s to self-certify staff recruited from countries of western Europe in immigration minister is following a overseas for work permit recent decades. Countries that have been successful in the new global competition for ‘the the first week of April, the objective of this brightest and the best’ have UKREN Roundtable process is to identify and channel a common reaped the benefits.The Home agenda on issues for discussion and Office is impressed by claims The 3rd Annual National Roundtable negotiation at the World Conference. from authoritative US sources Conference of the UK Race and Europe The World Conference is one of the most that immigrant movements to Network (UKREN) will take place in important events over the next year with a north America in the 1990s – Birmingham on 1 March 2001, hosted by potential for developing global commitment around 11 million people – have Birmingham City Council.This meeting will supported by local action plans to combat been an important factor in bring together members of the network and racism.This consultation process will offer us maintaining the country’s longest- is open to other organisations and individuals an opportunity to work cooperatively with ever boom. concerned about the impact of European our official Government representatives for Scope for the recruitment of social policy issues on racism, anti- the conference, as well as with statutory high-valued-added migrant discrimination and immigration and asylum. bodies, including the CRE, in developing a workers is not likely to be A unique feature of this year’s National UK position to take forward to the World exhausted by movements from Roundtable will be the launch of UKREN’s Conference in August 2001 and on which to within the old, industrial national consultation process in preparation build revitalised local strategies for the future. economies. One of the great for the UN World Conference on Racism. To register for the UKREN National paradoxes of the European Union The consultation, aimed at grassroots, local Roundtable or to receive further information is that the advent of a legal and regional organisations in the UK about the World Conference consultation regime permitting almost concerned with race equality, will run from process, contact the UKREN Secretariat at untrammelled rights of free January to November 2001. Consisting of a Runnymede, 133 Aldersgate Street, London movement between countries has series of six regional briefing and strategy EC1A 4JA [tel: 0207 600 9666; fax: 020 7600 seen a sharp decline in their meetings held over the month of March and 8529; e-mail: [email protected]]. practical exercise.Traditional

26 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 countries of outward migration – position of the highly skilled in of the 1951 Geneva Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal, new global labour markets will Convention on the Status of and now, more recently, Ireland – allow them to command decent Refugees across all member have dried up as sources of enough salaries and working states; immigrant workers, forcing conditions without the necessity • Fair treatment for third- employers to go further afield for for further government country national migrants, new recruits. Central and Eastern intervention. Others are not so ‘aimed at giving them rights Europe are now being viewed as sure. Areas of the public services and obligations comparable to ASYLUM & potential reservoirs, and beyond that have traditionally employed those of EU citizens’; IMMIGRATION this region highly qualified high-skilled immigrant workers, • Efficient monitoring and workers in Africa and Asia are such as the NHS, suggest that the management of immigration viewing opportunities for scope for disadvantage and flows. migration in an abundance which discrimination probably remains Immigration and asylum rights hasn’t been seen for decades.The wide, and energetic policies to NGOs across the EU have south India city of Bangalore, counter these negative effects will welcomed the Commission’s famous for its universities and need to be adopted. No doubt contributions on these points for reputation as the ‘silicon valley’ of the trades unions will have a key adding a series of very important the subcontinent, has seen role in addressing these extra dimensions to new European and north American important issues. discussions on immigration policy labour recruitment agencies pack But for a truly comprehensive which move beyond narrow themselves into an ever tighter and progressive framework for considerations of ‘national market for the skills of suitably modern, global migration policies, interest’.The UK lawyers group, qualified workers. one should look beyond the the Immigration Law In the context of such ‘national interest’ policies now Practitioners’ Association, has developments in global labour favoured by those in power, to come together with the Brussels- markets, proclamations on the recent ideas emanating from the based Migration Policy Group and part of western governments that European Union. In November the European Network Against they are now converts to the 2000, the European Commission Racism to promote its own cause of promoting, rather than published two communications ‘Amsterdam Proposals’ – a set of restricting, immigration seem not directed to the Council and the would-be EU directives facilitating so much an exhilarating breath of Parliament – one on asylum and migration to and within the fresh air, as faintly sinister. News one on immigration policy. member states, on the principles that there are profound national In these papers the of rigorous and consistent interests which need to be Commission revisited ideas it had application of human rights law satisfied through the recruitment been propounding since the early and the promotion of the rights of more workers raises the 1990s – to the effect that ‘zero of migrant workers and their question of what account is to be immigration was not a practical families.Taken together, the taken of other interests, equally option for the EU’, and that the Commission and the NGO locked into the migration process. complex interests of all the initiatives represent the opening Amongst these are the needs of parties in the migration process – out of space for an even wider the workers to be decently the migrant workers, the receiving discussion of what should remunerated, accorded equality countries, and the sending constitute a migration policy that of treatment, and given a secure countries – had to be reconciled fully accords with the realities of legal status so that they can plan if a policy was to be truly the modern world. their lives and can enjoy the adequate to the task of managing The important developments benefits of family life. Further, in migration in the modern world. which have emanated from the what state are the labour markets The communications, intended to Home Office and DfEE during of the countries of origin to be set out the ground rules for the past few months should be left by the potential for a proposals for common European applauded as evidence of substantial ‘brain drain’ from migration policies under the aegis significant changes to the South to North and East to of the Amsterdam Treaty and the parameters of the immigration West? Tampere process, covered the debate in the UK and elsewhere. Despite the volume of following issues: But they are only the beginning No doubt government announcements • Partnership with countries of of a process that will not be the trades setting out its new pro- origin, aimed at promoting the completed until a comprehensive unions will immigration line, there is little to widest possible free circulation framework has been elaborated have a key be found which suggests that of workers between the which acknowledges and role in these issues have a high place on sending and receiving protects the interests of groups addressing the policy agenda.The countries; far wider in their extent than these presumption on the part of the • A common asylum system to simply British business and British important authorities is that the powerful implement the high standards enterprise. issues.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 27 Migration, refugees and a 3-year evaluation of the whole project. The Centre’s international work includes collaboration with the Psychiatry Research and Teaching Unit at the Mental Health University of New South Wales in an investigation of the impact of policies of deterrence on the mental health of and Social Care asylum seekers, and a range of teaching and research links RESEARCH The Tizard Centre of the University of Kent to European and North American universities. PROGRAMMES The activities of the European Centre for the Study of at Canterbury is a leading academic group the Social Care of Minority Groups and Refugees working in learning disability and mental encompass the following: • User-focused research on the social care and mental health services in the UK. Charles Watters health of minority groups and refugees. describes the activities and projects of its • A range of consultancy activities including the evaluation of social care and mental health services. European Centre for the Study of the Social • Short courses and conferences aimed at improving the Care of Minority Groups and Refugees. understanding and responsiveness of social care and mental health professionals to issues relating to In 1998 the European Centre was set up at the University minority groups and refugees. of Kent in recognition of the need to establish a focal • An in-depth Masters level course on Migration, Mental point for an expanding range of activities in research, Health and Social Care for social care and mental consultancy and teaching relating to minority groups and health professionals. refugees in Europe. • Establishing consultative forums for involving asylum These activities have included: seekers and refugees in developing agendas for service • Collaborative research with the Refugee Council on development and research. the social care of asylum seekers and refugees in the The European MA in Migration, Mental Health and UK. Social Care is a course for those who work in services for • A European survey of mental health services for multi-ethnic populations and are concerned about the minority groups and refugees on behalf of MIND and delivery of effective mental health and/or social care the European Regional Council of the World services to black, minority ethnic, and/or refugee Federation for Mental Health. communities. • Development of a European Masters Programme on The course is being run in collaboration with Migration, Mental Health and Social Care in universities in The Netherlands and Sweden and draws on collaboration with universities in The Netherlands and expertise in this area from a variety of European countries. Sweden. This is based on the view that there are common challenges The Centre has a particular interest in the development facing European countries, and learning from each other Dr Charles models of participatory research involving refugees and can be a most effective means of developing good practice. Watters (seated, minority ethnic groups. It is currently engaged in two The course will include one joint workshop per year in centre) with European pieces of collaborative work on the Breathing Space each of these European countries. Its development is Partners, is project.This is a major project funded by the Camelot supported through the EC Socrates Programme. Director of the Foundation and run in partnership with the Refugee The course starts in September each year and is part- European Centre Council and the Medical Foundation for the Care of time over a period of 2 years. for the Study of Victims of Torture.The aims include providing an Targeted course members are mental health professionals, the Social Care appropriate bi-cultural mental managers, social workers and members of voluntary of Minority health service for asylum seekers organisations involved in the provision of social care or Groups and in London and offering training mental health services to ethnic minority groups and/or Refugees within and advocacy to service refugees.This will include both those directly involved in the University of providers in the regions service provision and those concerned with management or Kent’s Tizard to which asylum seekers policy-making.Applicants should have a first degree in the Centre. are being dispersed.The social sciences or nursing, although it may be possible to work of the European admit some applicants who, lacking a first degree, do have Centre for the Study relevant professional training and appropriate experience. of the Social Care of The first cohort of students began their studies in September Minority Groups 2000.The first European Workshop will be held at the and Refugees University of Orebro in Spring 2001 and will focus on includes a tracking migrants and their mental health and social care needs. exercise Proposals exist for an expansion of the course, and in investigating the 2000 further support from the Socrates Programme was pathways to mental achieved to develop a partnership with a Southern health care followed European country.The University of Barcelona has by asylum seekers and expressed interest in collaboration.

28 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 Ties that used to bind: the erosion of mutual dependency REVIEWS

Social Inclusion. Possibilities and Tensions Edited by Peter Askonas and Angus Stewart …two broad London: Macmillan Press, 2000 understand- ISBN: 0-333-91835-5 ings of glob- alization … must be Peter Askonas and Angus Stewart present us, in this Since it is distinguished: volume, with a range of views on the discourse of social not possible to an historical inclusion.Twenty essays, by eminent authors, effectively review all 20 process and illustrate the major debates and foci of the social inclusion essays comprehensively, I have selected three themes a specific project as a self-consciously appropriate reaction to the within which to categorize and represent the major issues political and ‘collapse of socialism and the discrediting of the ability of addressed: economic unregulated markets to deliver social cohesion and social framework. justice’. But before examining some of the individual 1. Globalization and macroeconomic concerns contributions in detail, it is helpful to consider the origin 2. Employment, the culture of work and microeconomic and significance of the social inclusion project. analysis The above quote seems to position social inclusion 3. Citizenship, Democracy and Power vis-à-vis inclusion between socialism and free-market capitalism – a fraternal gesture, perhaps, towards the Third Way as deployed by Globalization and Macroeconomic Concerns Anthony Giddens in his recent writings and by Tony Blair John Gray’s ‘radical critique’ of inclusion demarcates two in his politics. Indeed, following the example of its broad understandings of globalization that must be European counterparts, the Labour party instituted a Social distinguished: an historical process and a specific political Exclusion Unit soon after coming to power in 1997. and economic framework. For Gray, the development of However, as Angus Stewart underlines in his introduction, an interconnected world economy ‘has been underway at New Labour’s understanding of social inclusion is limited least since the projection of European power through to ameliorating ‘the consequences of economically-driven colonialism in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries’ and modes of action and organization’ rather than was well developed by the end of the nineteenth century. fundamentally changing social organization and social The other meaning of globalization better evokes the relationships. For the contributors to this volume, social inclusion thesis regarding the incompatibility of abdication of the responsibilities of the state undermines egalitarian values and the current global regime. Gray any project of social inclusion and is not in keeping with describes this definition of globalization as a regime of the needs of the socio-economic situation of late ‘global laissez-faire’ or a ‘global liberal economic regime’. modernity, despite popular arguments to the contrary. There is no reason why these two understandings of Here social inclusion is a radicalized effort to limit globalization should be conflated, since the first historical social injustice and enhance social cohesion.Various essays feature of globalization antedates the second economic in this volume note that Labour’s commitment to social regime by a few centuries. Indeed, Gray argues that the inclusion, insofar as it views work as the most important current regime of global laissez-faire will become a fading sphere of inclusion and individual action, fails in its historical memory whereas the expansion of capitalism and responsibility to social justice and a broader notion of new technologies will continue unabated. He does not social cohesion precisely because the government is articulate what political or economic form an increasingly incapable of imagining a shift in social organization and capitalised and technologically advanced society might social relationships.This is linked to an assumption that the take, and it is difficult to imagine the further expansion of state has wilfully and systematically reneged on its promise capital accepting political forms that violate the principles and ability to intervene when market forces create of laissez-faire, since the power of such capital will inequality and exclusion. The aim of these contributors is presumably have eroded the autonomy and exercise of state thus clear: to transform social relationships in order to power even further, notwithstanding the buttressing or create a more pluralistic but cohesive society devoted to formation of new (international) political forms. social justice. Individual essays consider these issues in While other essays consider the role and implications of theoretical depth, but also vary considerably regarding the globalization, those by Perraton and Coyle link this debate means for and possibility of achieving the inclusive society with the economic analyses of co-contributors. Perraton – presenting a range of possibilities and tensions referred regrets that debates about globalization have become to in this volume’s subtitle. polarized, and considers three separate positions and their

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 29 relation to social inclusion. For Perraton, the greater Earlier in the volume, Zygmunt Bauman cited diffusion of technology and increased trade and capital favourably German economists who posit that ‘everything mobility represent a relative rather than an absolute shift in needed to satisfy market demand can be produced now by power. two-thirds of the population’, with only one-third Perraton does not underestimate the potential for necessary in the not-too-distant future.This thesis clearly conflict and emphasizes the necessity for regulatory jars with Coyle’s and Robinson’s assertions, and without policies. Diana Coyle meanwhile deems unpredictability any contrary statistics in Bauman’s essay, it is difficult to REVIEWS and weightlessness the salient features of the contemporary ascertain the strength of his case. Nevertheless, his typically economy. By ‘weightless’, Coyle means that ‘economic catchy style artfully presents some of the architectural, value – what people want and are willing to pay for – is cultural and psychological effects of social exclusion for increasingly intangible or increasingly weightless’. the poor, as well as the economic ones. In particular, he However, she is quick to squash arguments that propose underlines the growing spatial disparity between rich and the ‘lump of labour fallacy’, namely that there is only a poor, not only geographically between the rich North and certain amount of work to go around. As evidence, Coyle poor South, but stretching into every public and private points out that while the UK has lost some 3.5 million sphere, including architecture, with resultant dividends of jobs in the manufacturing sector since 1979, 5 million jobs localized poor and cosmopolitan rich. However, it is gained in the service sector represent an overall increase in difficult to conceptualize these evocative identities without employment levels. For Coyle, the effects of globalization, some sense of the statistical shift under globalization. while perhaps not adversely affecting overall employment levels, are surely leading to greater inequality, in both Employment and the culture of work developing and developed countries. A minimal income and corresponding standard of life are Peter Robinson’s essay presents a comprehensive clear indicators of social inclusion. However, the New critique of the notion that there is a fundamental Labour project for raising these standards is criticised for insufficiency of work. Many critics of globalization note its reliance on gainful full-time employment, or work,to its ‘levelling’ effect, particularly in shifting low-wage labour minimise social exclusion. Early in the volume Ruth from the developed to the developing world. If these Lister summarizes and criticizes four separate assumptions effects were to be unremittingly universal, Robinson posits in such visions of the value of work: that:‘one might anticipate that technological change and “globalization” would have a more or less even impact 1. paid work necessarily spells social inclusion; across [developed] countries’. In fact, there is no such 2. worklessness necessarily spells social exclusion; correlation: while the US has actually seen its employment 3. the only form of value to society is paid work; and levels increase, France and Spain have seen them fall. 4. an inclusive society can be built on the foundations of Significantly, most of the drop in employment levels in paid work alone. parts of Europe occurred between 1974 and 1983, a time when the effects of globalization were arguably less Lister might perhaps overstress the popularity of the inexorable. last two points, but she presents persuasive data Robinson further notes that the UK and other demonstrating that low-paid work can actually lead to industrial countries largely trade with each other, marking further marginalization, or at best a very poor quality of off a ‘rich club’ of trade partners, with ‘only 1.6% of the inclusion. By contrast, worklessness, if associated with GDP of industrialized countries’ accounted for by active citizenship, or among part-time parents of young manufactured goods from developing countries. children and elderly workers, can actually co-exist with Robinson’s critique is pointed at what he views as the high levels of social inclusion, though this is less likely in dominant theory of unemployment, namely that there the US and UK and more likely in continental Europe, exists a ‘natural’ rate of unemployment, which the where benefits for such workers are more generous. macroeconomic policy of the state can do little to prevent Richard Sennett considers the importance of mutual or control. Indeed, Robinson’s thesis is linked to exchange, shared rituals and social witnesses in any form arguments that globalization has not, in fact, narrowly of inclusion. Sennett specifically considers the flexibility of delimited the power or role of the state. Robinson views contemporary work environments and judges that these a combination of activist macroeconomic policy as seen in three shared social experiences have been undermined, the US in its labour market regulation together with leaving workers less attached to or included within the southern European models committed to open and structures of companies. Flexibility demands that competitive product markets as the appropriate means to companies can ‘restructure’ and reorganize to meet …low-paid maximize social inclusion. Robinson’s statistics demands, but this limits the level of shared experiences work can demonstrate that OECD states are able to limit the level among various employees, eroding their sense of actually lead of inequality through state mechanisms, but the possibility belonging. In conclusion, he notes that his ideal of a to further of wedding these two models with their entirely different ‘witness’ has been categorized within the rubric of a marginaliza- approaches to equality and work (a difference apparent not ‘culture of dependency’, with European adherents of the tion, or at only at the state level) is impossible to gauge, especially ‘Third Way’ being horrified of fealty as a demeaning best a very since Robinson does not propose how such an amalgam source of social dishonour. In seeking to rehabilitate poor quality might be politically, economically or even culturally viable ‘dependence’ and strike its positive resonance, Sennett of inclusion. in any specific developed country. makes the sometimes ignored but obvious point that

30 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 people cannot support themselves alone, and that workplace political praxis, to help clarify the four major ‘frameworks culture needs to be less fearful of the right to depend on of social inclusion’. His ruminations on these axes derive others, thus deconstructing the contemporary divorce of from classical political theory, helpfully updated by Stewart power and authority that allows individuals to remain to take into account modern theorists and political unaccountable. He points out the sobering fact that, even in positions. the US, 90% of new small businesses go bankrupt within 3 years, meaning that the vast majority are destined to be Bases of Social Order employees, and not employers. Sennett therefore concludes Social Contract Social Compact REVIEWS that ‘the dignity of men and women as workers’ must be re- established through the development of social honour Praxis of Liberal Inclusive Society through work, ultimately assuring increased levels of social Justice Society …govern- cohesion. ment regula- Two essays in this volume address companies and their tion can in Praxis of management practices in relationship to ‘stakeholder’ theory. Postmodern Communitarianism effect be in the Good Orders the best

These are insightful not just for their analysis of the Praxis Modes of Political Life workplace from a ‘business’ perspective, but also, as Angus interests of Stewart points out in his introduction, for their broader companies, consideration of ‘questions of structured interest and The first axis,‘bases for social inclusion’, is represented especially conflict, asymmetries of power and consequent differential by the polar models of social contract and social compact. when vulnerability’. Instead of looking directly at the state, these Social contract theory has dominated western liberal theory addressing articles by Winstanley & Stoney and Slinger & Deacon and has been integral to the development of the market the coo- examine what institutions have to consider not only in economy and market society. It views contracts,‘exchanges, perative maximising efficiency, but also in assuring inclusionary promises or commitments enforceable by law’, as the nature of sentiment among their members. ‘hallmark of full adult status’ and thus intrinsic to stakeholder Stakeholder theory envisages the full involvement of all participation in the political community. In contrast, social theory and employees in an organization and rejects a division between compact models focus on ‘communality and the generation the related ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ on the basis that the latter group are of power through communal action’. This involves project of ignored in considering the goals of the organization. For an interdependence and mutuality, with consequential emphasis inclusion. organization to be successful, it must recognize the needs on collective or cooperative empowerment. and desires of all groups that ‘hold a stake’ in the company. Stewart recognizes another bipolar axis affecting possible As Winstanley and Stoney point out, some theorists further frameworks of social inclusion, specifically, modes of posit the need for a redistribution of power within political praxis. The literature on this subject/division in organizations, so that all groups can actually feel included political theory is enormous and represents perhaps the and share in the stake of the company.They recognize major division between political philosophies today. The critics from the right, who see stakeholding as undermining first ‘mode’ is the praxis of justice, which together with the the basic profit-motivation of companies à la Friedman, as social contract model represents the dominant political, well as from the left who view it as a cynical exercise to social and economic ordering framework of contemporary limit workers’ resentment at blatantly unbalanced power (liberal) society. Here justice is directed towards ‘an relations, or as a management exercise to control the immanent political community generated by common workforce. action and expressive of collective rights and obligations’. Ultimately,Winstanley and Stoney are optimistic that an Significantly, the praxis of justice is egalitarian and inclusiveness project can challenge ‘some of the undesirable concerned with processes that remove ‘those inequalities features of contemporary work organizations’, with Slinger which clearly preclude the possibility of participation in the and Deakin holding a similar position regarding the processes of deliberative democracy’. In contrast, an possibility that regulation could reform takeover bids and inclusionary praxis of the ‘good life’ takes the shared ‘mitigate some of the more disruptive effects of hostile communal ties of ethical communities as its starting point bids’. Both of these essays demonstrate that government and is therefore expressive of the politics of difference. regulation can in effect be in the best interests of Stewart’s vision of social inclusion combines the companies, especially when addressing the cooperative cooperative elements of the social compact model with the nature of stakeholder theory and the related project of egalitarian emphasis of a political praxis of justice. An inclusion. Indeed, the importance and ability of the state to analysis and critique of contemporary society as based on a help achieve social inclusion, notwithstanding the social contract social order and a praxis of political justice is supposedly corrosive effect of gloabalization, is underscored the source of the communitarian position, which argues time and again in almost every essay in this volume. that liberal society is socially destructive and ignorant of the ethical claims of various communities. Stewart and others Political Inclusion criticize communitarians for not perceiving the measure of and Democratic Citizenship inequalities based on status and condition and their In this volume, political inclusion occupies a central role, relegation of the role of justice. Postmodern orders, here given the fundamental place of social cohesion in the somewhat oddly linked to Habermas given his critiques of discourse of inclusion. Angus Stewart deploys a typology Derrida and Foucault, are defined by social contracts and a based on two axes, bases of social order and modes of political praxis of the good life. It is indeed accurate to

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 31 describe Habermas’s politics as focusing on social contracts namely empathy towards others and rational deliberation, and theories of the good, but his trenchant criticisms of might lead to the final aim:‘no less than a change in the deconstruction and related projects remind us that such political culture of the country, both nationally and locally’. typologies, while helpful in clarifying some of the more The last essay I will consider is by Charles Taylor. Taylor important cleavages among social and political theorists and is one of the most well-known and influential their related projects, are not always entirely accurate. contemporary political philosophers, and his analysis of Stewart himself recognizes the dilemma for any neat democracy offers a frank depiction of the aims of a REVIEWS typology in his reading of Seyla Benhabib, a political democratic citizenship and its potential for exclusion. To philosopher greatly influenced by Habermas. When illustrate the exclusionary effects of democracy, he considers examining and considering gender difference, matters of the case where an individual is overridden by the majority justice and the good life are not so easily separable and of her fellow citizens in a vote on an important issue. As distinct: Taylor puts it, a potential monarch, seizing power in a coup and agreeing with my position on this issue, might actually … [W]hat were hitherto considered ‘private’ make me ‘freer after the counter-revolution’. matters of the good life [become] ‘public issues of Only when citizens accept and recognize that their justice by thematizing the asymmetrical power freedom derives from their self-ruling status can such issues relations on which the sexual division of labour be resolved. Democratic citizenship, with its emphasis on between the genders has rested. In this process, the the good of collective agency, requires a thick notion of line between the private and the public, between belonging. This, of course, is what underpins the concerns issues of justice and matters of the good life, is … of other theorists who interrogate the ‘democratic deficit’; if renegotiated. citizens are not participating in liberal democracy, they are failing to recognize or actualize their fundamental role as Richard Collins summarizes in a different manner some part of the collective whole.As Taylor states ‘Citizens have of the various theories that can be associated with Stewart’s to do for themselves, as it were, what otherwise the rulers typology. His analysis of media and communications do for them’. However, it does seem that majorities can demonstrates that community links are being eroded — often ignore the needs and desires of other citizens, which in some sense places him within communitarian particularly ethnic or cultural minorities. Historically, critiques of liberal society. However, he deliberates at length homogeneous societies, even democratic ones, are reluctant between the ‘associative’ and ‘communal’ models, represented to concede citizenship to outsiders. While liberal societies by Kymlicka and Miller respectively. Collins and these often blame ‘nationalism’ for its inherent exclusionary theorists are concerned that some shared values obtain for tendencies,Taylor pointedly illustrates how democratic aims political communities, thus interrogating the concept of themselves can be exclusionary. Thus, he recommends a citizenship. Associative models accept multinational form of the ‘procedural republic’, similar to Stewart’s communities and argue for an ‘undifferentiated citizenship’, Inclusive Society model depicted above, where ‘sharing while communal theories underline the importance of identity space’ among different groups is absolutely cohesion much more strongly – Miller is presented as a necessary (social compact), but fairness, equality, democracy philosopher who argues that nationalism is ethically superior and human rights (praxis of justice) must not be to universalism because ‘it rests on well established facts undermined or forgotten. about human identity and human motivation’. Ultimately, Collins is more sympathetic to some of Miller’s concerns Conclusion that his obvious disagreement at first suggests. While on In sum, this volume represents a broad spectrum of the balance he prefers the associative model, he recognizes the debates within social inclusion. Additionally, there are need for a shared symbolic culture beyond the media though powerful critiques, from Gray, Ratcliffe and Askonas, that I this culture must be ‘both looser and more pluralistic than have been unable to fully explore. It is worth noting, heretofore’ if it is not to exclude too much. following Gray, that discourses of inclusion have replaced Associative In his contribution, Raymond Plant sees a need to purely egalitarian models among radical political models accept ‘rehabilitate the realm of politics’ and remarks that restoring sociologists. This demonstrable fact reminds us of the quote multinational trust in political institutions within diverse societies requires from the back cover, situating the inclusion discourse communities a renegotiation about the basic procedures of political somewhere between a collapse of socialism and the distrust and argue for communication, evoking Stewart’s earlier citation of of unregulated markets in creating a healthy society. an ‘undiffer- Benhabib. Bernard Crick, whose report on citizenship is Whether inclusion can effectively position itself as a panacea entiated positively mentioned in Plant’s essay, meditates on the status to some of the more predatory aspects of global capitalism citizenship’, of democracy, politics and citizenship in an era where the is a question that Gray definitively emphasizes. Some will while academic discipline of political thought has thrived as never of course argue that radical politics can never compromise communal before while intelligent public debate has been supplanted with market forces, though the obvious hegemony of theories by a popular press that, together with a failing education laissez-faire liberalism makes it increasingly difficult to posit underline the system,‘keeps the masses from becoming citizens’. He emancipatory projects that adopt a combative position importance admits that his seminal work In Defence of Politics would be a towards the market. Whether social inclusion policies can of cohesion much ‘darker’ work were it written today, but his chairing create a more cohesive and just society in this context is the much more of the Advisory Group on citizenship as appointed by fundamental question of this volume. strongly David Blunkett suggests some hope that its conclusions, Omar Khan, Runnymede

32 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 Truly Hybrid Forms truly hybrid forms, in negotiation simultaneously with cultural and structural aspects of racism, and thus not New Ethnicities, Old Racisms? susceptible to analysis along only one dimension. Edited by Phil Cohen London: Zed Books, 1999. The texts Pp. 244. £14.95 (paper) ISBN 1 85649 652 X New ethnicities - both white and black – ‘have emerged out of various in-mixtures of cultural influence’.The main REVIEWS New Ethnicities, Old Racisms? is an edited selection of work purpose of the contributions is to ‘explore the relations of produced at the Centre for New Ethnicities Research these ethnicities to the old racisms that continue to be (CNER), set up by the University of East London in 1992. reproduced through dominant forms of governance New This collection of essays aims to question received throughout the Western world’. ethnicities - notions of multiculturalism, new ethnicities, old racisms The book’s 12 chapters have been classified under the both white and to critique essentialist definitions of race, nation and section subheadings of: I ‘The Postcolonial Debate’, II and black – ethnicity across key areas of cultural policy and practice. It ‘Reconstructing the Past’, III ‘Refugee Studies’, IV ‘have does this by combining the theoretical with the empirical, ‘Cultures of Racism’,V ‘Rethinking Multiculturalism’, and emerged out and academic analysis with oral testimony, and it is aimed VI ‘Postcript’; and building on Cohen’s introductory text, of various in- at both students and academics in social and cultural each contribution elaborates one or more of the book’s mixtures of theory, geography and ethnic studies. three major themes: cultural • New ways of tackling popular cultures of racism influence’. Introduction • The histories of previously marginalised racisms – and Phil Cohen, introducing the book with a chapter entitled sexisms ‘Through a Glass Darkly: Intellectuals on Race’, discusses • The impact of changing patterns of migration on the the ever contested terms of ‘race’, ethnicity and nation and local/global city the way they have been and still are being used currently. In the Section on the Postcolonial Debate, Phil He sets the context for the report by discussing ‘the new Marfleet, in ‘Europe’s Civilising Mission’, considers the racism thesis’, defining this as where the ‘crude biologistic ‘Clash of Civilisations’ thesis advanced by Samuel doctrines and stereotypes of innate superiority/inferiority Huntington, and charts the way it has been taken up by were giving way to a more subtle and indirect discourse ideologues of the European Union. Couze Venn goes on that spoke about cultural differences as an “organic“ to discuss, in ‘Occidentalism and its Discontents’, the limits principle of discrimination’. and conditions of European identity in a wider and more In particular Cohen observes that this ‘provided an explicitly theoretical account of the complex correlations important intellectual resource for the anti-racist between modernity, colonialism and the formations of the movement, enabling it to shift its attention beyond the ‘sovereign subject’. violent, aversive forms of popular racism towards the more Section II,‘Reconstructing the Past’, examines ‘histories subtle and invisible aspects of cultural stereotyping and of the inferior’, focusing on aspects of racialised discourse discrimination, especially as these operated within the that have been neglected both by historians and by institutions of civil governance’. Cohen points to the theorists of racism. Reina Lewis (‘Writing the Racialised ‘Salman Rushdie affair, the growth of black and Asian Self’) intervenes in current debates about gender and youth multi-cultures and the public debate over transracial postcoloniality by attending to the particularities of adoption’ as combining ‘to create a major arena in which memoirs, travel writing and popular fiction written in the issue of race and representation was being rethought’. English by Ottoman women writers, especially in relation It is here that Cohen discusses how the notion of new to issues of female emancipation in Turkey, Europe and ethnicities, first developed by Stuart Hall in the 1980s, North America.While John Marriot (‘In Darkest mapped out a way forward that took account of the England’) shifts the axis of racial articulation from gender complex social and cultural changes occurring in Britain’s to class by showing how, during the 19th century, the black and Asian communities.This was a move in the metropolitan poor were constructed as a race apart – a direction of challenging the essentialist definitions of process which located them firmly within a discourse of community or identity. Cohen writes that the ‘notion of nation and empire. new ethnicities referred to myriad forms of cultural traffic The section titled ‘Refugee Studies’ begins with generated by the process of globalisation, and the Patricia Tuitt (‘An Immigration Offence’) telling a convergence of transnational and transracial geographies of prototypical story about the late-20th-century refugee, identification via the opening up of new diasporic permanently in transit, unable to produce positive proof of networks of communication’. identity and detained pending an investigation of the case; Moving on and examining today’s situation in relation and Alice Bloch (‘As if being a Refugee isn’t Hard to race inequality, Cohen argues that: Enough’) examines the material and social conditions that social responses to the persistence, and indeed refugee communities have to face in multiracist Britain. deepening, of race inequality in contemporary Britain ‘Cultures of Racism’ opens with Les Back and Michael cannot be neatly labelled in terms of old or new Keith (‘Rights and Wrongs’) exploring the racism enacted ethnicities, at least not in the simplistic renderings that in the streets and neighbourhoods of the working class have gained popular currency. We are dealing with and examining the moral panic about Asian gang violence

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 33 within an East London context. Under the title ‘It’s Just continuities between theories predicated on so-called Not Cricket!’, Ian McDonald and Sharda Ugra draw on a biological ‘race’ science and ‘postmodernist’ cultural collaborative study of cricketing cultures in Essex and East explanations.Then ‘It’s Your World’ by Barnor Hesse London, carried out on behalf of the Essex County concentrates on how the landscape of British identities has Cricket Board. The study sets out to look at some of the been profoundly transformed during the 20th century, deeper, underlying reasons why Asian and Afro-Caribbean with a colonial relation rearticulated as a relation of players do not affiliate to the established, white-dominated migration, and the racialised political and cultural histories REVIEWS structures of the game, but prefer to organise themselves of Britain multiplying and being threatened by recurrent into separate clubs and leagues.The structures which revision. In the Postscript, Desirée Ntolo (‘The Sacred and govern unequal access to sporting amenities are examined the Profane’) ‘provides a dramatic first-person account of …during in detail, along with prevailing attitudes towards the what happens when someone challenges the narrow limits the 19th concept of multicultural cricket. and conditions of official “tolerance” for what is century, the ‘Old Whine, New Vassals’ by Jane Ifekwunigwe recognised as “cultural diversity”’ metro- introduces the ‘Rethinking Multiculturalism’ section by As Phil Cohen states in his Introduction,‘The Stephen politan poor engaging with one of the buzzwords of current Lawrence Campaign has highlighted the importance of were con- intellectual debate – hybridity.The origins of the term are sustaining serious intellectual work, in a broad but focused structed as a traced back to their problematical beginnings in 19th- way, around the issues it raises’. New ethnicities, old racisms? race apart – century racial science, especially anthropology. contributes strongly to the cause of keeping cultural a process Ifekwunigwe goes on to examine the work of theory in contact with everyday concerns. which located contemporary métis(se) (mixed-race) women, collected them firmly during two years of ethnographic research in Bristol, and Randeep Kaur Kular, Runnymede within a provide the necessary context for a discussion of the discourse of nation and empire.

compilation, maintains its key objective of putting you in The Diversity Directory: touch with the right people in the shortest timeframe. Your Guide to Equality and Diversity Turning first of all to the indexes: under the ‘Issues’ ConsultanciesTurvey, Bedford: Diversity rubric [Race, Gender, Disability, etc], are listed all the UK,Autumn 2000 people in The Directory who work in those fields.Then ISSN 1358-7978. in ‘Areas of Work’ you’ll find everyone who carries out Subscription (2 issues a year) £65 the programmes you’re looking for [like Awareness Website: www.diversityuk.co.uk Raising, Mentoring,Trainer-training, etc]. Cross- referencing both indexes gives you an instant shortlist of people who can do exactly the work you want. Mary Gray talks about the latest issue of The Consider what you need to do in this area: Diversity Directory, marking 10 years of publication. - Is your e.o. policy regularly reviewed? The Diversity Directory will help you find the right - Is it up to date? people to work in harmony with the way you do things - Does it comply with legislation? [And is compliance in your organisation. It’s easy, quick and cost effective. In enough?] each edition 90+ advisers and trainers contribute a whole - Can everyone in your local community use your page about themselves.They tell you what they do, how products or services? they do it, and who they do it for – so you can easily - Do you get an ethnically diverse choice of applicants identify those who’ll work compatibly with your when you recruit? organisation.And Diversity UK publish The Diversity - Do you have able-bodied and disabled people on your Directory every 6 months to make sure the information is staff? up to date. - Do women and people from minority ethnic Not all equality advisers and trainers are the same.You communities figure at the higher levels of your may be perfectly happy to go on using people you’ve used organisation? before, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you - In short, does your organisation benefit from the have a choice of only one or two people, can you diversity of modern-day Britain? compare expertise, costs, suitability? In November 1999 Sir Richard Wilson, Head of the Whether you need equality training for a few Civil Service, identified diversity as one of six key themes employees or for hundreds, you need the widest choice of in his report to the Prime Minister.This followed the advisers and trainers.And it’s important to get someone PM’s ‘Modernising Government’White Paper, which who’ll work in sympathy with the culture of your urged the public service to reflect the diversity of British organisation.All this can take time and effort.You can society and make full use of all available talent. spend months chasing up contacts and still be no further To the organisation that wants to access the best of this forward. The Diversity Directory, in its 10th year of talent, The Diversity Directory offers its services.

34 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 Press Coverage (Oct-Nov 2000) for publication of The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain

06-Oct-00 Celebrate, don’t tolerate, minorities, Gary (london letter) Crossroad Britain: pluralism or perish!, Younge, Guardian Straw backs Britain, Rebecca Pavele, Mirror Public Sector (front page) A Britain we all belong to, Bhikhu Parekh, How many times have you heard Britain at the crossroads,Valery Small, Guardian someone snap: Don’t be so British?, Public Sector Prescription for harmony, Guardian Siobhan Synot, Scotsman (Op-Ed page) MULTI-ETHNIC 07-Oct-00 (leader) The Sun hits back at fools who say the BRITAIN UK report wants action on anti-Irish British tag is ‘coded racism’, Alan Travis, word ‘British’ is racist, Sun racism, Rachel Donelly, Irish Times Guardian Labour scorn for Brit pride, Paul 08-Oct-00 There’s no such thing as British history, Gilfeather, Sun Labour ‘has failed to root out racism’, Ben David Aaronovitch, Independent ‘Proud to be British’ Straw raps race Summerskill, Observer British is ‘just another word for prejudice’, report, Richard Ford, Times Labour is accused of stoking race fear, Nathan Yates, Mirror Nation and race, Times (leader page) David Taylor, Sunday Express Curse of the Britain-bashers,Trevor True Brit?, Mick Hume, Times (Times 2 Ministers must outlaw the white ghettos, Kavanagh and Daley Thompson, Sun analysis) Trevor Phillips, Sunday Express 12-Oct-00 What is British?, Times (front page) Critics of a ‘racist’ Britain are misguided, Don’t let row undermine aim of a Who do these worthy idiots think they says report, Martin Bentham, Sunday multiracial Britain, Daily Express are?, Anatole Kaletsky, Times Telegraph (comment) The argument for becoming nation Schools urged to expel fewer blacks, Race report angers ‘proud Briton’ Straw, without a name, Richard Ford, Times Michael Prescott and Eben Black, Sunday David Taylor, Daily Express Times Charity’s lobbying strategy is to go straight Labour in retreat on race, Steve Doughty, to the top, Richard Ford, Times 09-Oct-00 Daily Mail Call for quotas to end white domination 13-Oct-00 This stuff gets on my Brits, Dawn Neesom, of the Lords, Michael Clarke, Daily Mail (No headline, just pictures), Daily Mail Daily Star Race challenge to parties at Holyrood, Why I am sick of the anti-British disease, People in these isles are at a crossroads, Gary Duncan, Scotsman William Hague, Daily Telegraph Daily Telegraph He was young, he was black, he was Hague lambasts anti-British Left, Andy Piece of political history catches up with dead…he was asking for it, Linda Watson- McSmith, Daily Telegraph Straw, Philip Johnston, Daily Telegraph Scotsman Brown, British is a boo word in today’s UK, I feel so proud when I see our Union flag, 10-Oct-00 Guardian (the editor) Sandra Laville, Daily Telegraph British is racist, says peer trying to rewrite How many blacks are there in the Straw beats a very British retreat over our history, Jonathan Irwin and David Cabinet?, Richard Littlejohn, Sun Daily Mail race report, Philip Johnston, Daily Telegraph Huges, (Littlejohn) (front page) Straw wants to rewrite our history, Philip Bring on the rainbow, Peter Newsam, TES Johnston, Daily Telegraph (front page) Why I give way to righteous paranoia about Britain, Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph Race inequality starts at five, Robert Thinkers who want to consign our island (the thursday column) Boylands, TES story to history, Philip Johnston, Daily Telegraph (news) Don’t diss Britannia, Daily Telegraph (leader English and not very proud of it, Celia page) Brayfield, Times (times 2 analysis) The British race, Daily Telegraph (leader) Imagine there’s no racism-not easy if you 13/19-Oct-00 Be politically astute, not politically correct, try, Matthew Norman, Evening Standard Race for Progress, Public Finance (leader) Michael Gove, Times (comment) Race report brings defence of Britishness, Straw stirred but defends race record, 11-Oct-00 Jimmy Burns, FT (national news) Maria McHale, Public Finance (news) The flashy vacuity of the Dome…., Daily Mail (front page) The inclusiveness of ‘Britain’ cannot be Time to tell a different story, Robin challenged, Hugo Young, Guardian (leader Richardson, Public Finance What an insult to history and our page) intelligence, Daily Mail (comment) 14-Oct-00 Wrapped up in the flag, Guardian (letters) Don’t mention the B-word, Bagehot, In praise of being British, Paul Johnson, Economist (Bagehot) Daily Mail (Daily Mail essay) Straw launches scathing attack on ‘unpatriotic’ political left, Ian Burrell, 15-Oct-00 Racism slur on the word ‘British’, Steve Independent (front page) These race ‘warriors’ simply stir up hatred, Daily Mail Doughty, Norman Tebbit, Mail on Sunday Britishness’ is not a racist idea in a An insult to all our countrymen, Raj multicultural nation, insists Straw, Ian A Question of identity, Ros Coward and Chandran, Daily Mail Burrell, Independent (The Runnymede Stuart Hall, Observer (comment) They met at Runnymede - to boss us all Report) Blame the Left, not the British, Jack Straw, around,Tom Utley, Daily Telegraph (the We can be black and British, and many of Observer (comment) wednesday column) us share a common history, Kurt Barling, Phillips attacks Straw in racism row Report causes offence to Britain’s Independent (The Runnymede Report) David Cracknell, Sunday Telegraph indigenous population, Daily Telegraph British’ is already an inclusive, elastic and (letters to the editor) We know in our hearts what Britain evolutionary concept, Independent means, Andrew Roberts, Sunday Telegraph Straw:What the word Britain stands for, (thursday review, comment) Ben Leapman, Evening Standard Why the Anglican church monopoly Multiracial society a challenge to simply should be broken, John Humphrys, Sunday Embracing the need to build an inclusive being British, Rachel Donnelly, Irish Times Times society, Guardian They’re doing their level best to ➥

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 35 destroy Britain’s identity, Melanie Phillips, Let’s be plain Kate.., Mirror CONTENTS Sunday Times (comment) That Runnymede Trust History of the 16-Oct-00 Country Formerly Known as Britain, The Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain: Minister: UK creating black underclaass ‘like Private Eye South Africa’, Ian Burrell, Independent Multi-ethnic News, Private Eye This estimable report – Samir Shah 1 (front page) We’re black, asian, english..and proud, Launching the report: responses The good the bad & the ugly, New Nation Briony Warden and Martin Phillips, Sun from Government 2 (front page) Empty Vessel, Sun MULTI-ETHNIC Race report set itself up to fail, Ross Slater, (1) A very British contribution – Black and Blue, Sun New Nation Jack Straw’s launch speech 2 BRITAIN 19-Oct-00 Trust exposed as hypocrites, Ross Slater, What does it mean to be British?, Daily (2) Clearly identifiable themes – New Nation speech by Baroness Amos 5 Telegraph (letters) They don’t live here any more, New No faith in royal romance, Mirror Comment and commentary – Statesman 20-Oct-00 a compilation of responses 8 The Journal of Lynton Charles, New Get your facts right first, please, Samir Statesman ‘Children will be told lies’ – Shah, Guardian Robin Richardson 12 Black, British and proud, Sheila Watson, A black princess for the Windsors?, The Voice (front Page) Notes from post-publication events 18 Guardian (the editor) Black and British?, The Voice Who are they?, Private Eye New, enforceable, positive duties: Blacks suffer like South Africans’, Clare Implicit racism hardest to handle, Phil attributes of the Race Relations Sterling, Times (Amendment) Act – Gurbux Singh 19 Revell, TES 17-Oct-00 Rewriting history the tabloid way,Trevor Susceptibility to racism and Racism is embedded in our culture, claims Phillips, TES(opinion) xenophobia in Central and Hain, Steve Doughty, Daily Mail 21-Oct-00 Eastern Europe – Nils Muiznieks 21 Hague speaks of his pride in ‘nation of Profile: Bhikhu Parekh-first among immigrants’, Hain, Daily Mail European Conference Against Racism 25 equalisers, Guardian (saturday review, front I’m proud to be British, says defiant Lady UKREN Roundtable 26 page) Gavron, Alice Thomson, Daily Telegraph The Guardian Profile, Bhikhu Parekh, First Immigration – the new national interest? Prince Charles ‘should have married a among equalisers, Maya Jaggi, Guardian – Don Flynn 26 black woman’, Alice Thomson, Daily (saturday review) Telegraph (front page) Migration, mental health Alexander Chancellor, Alexander and social care – research programmes Charles should have had black bride says Chancellor, Guardian (weekend) race report author, Deepa Shah and at the University of Kent 28 Being British: something to be ashamed Valentine Low, Evening Standard Essay review.Ties that used to bind: of?, The Week (talking points) History Lesson, Evening Standard the erosion of mutual dependency – 22-Oct-00 Omar Khan 29 I felt hated’, Aaron Dixon, interviewed by National identity flexing in a Topsy-turvy Angela Neustatter, Guardian (education) world,William McIlvanney, Scotland on Book Reviews 33 Charles ‘should have married a black Sunday (the week, comment) Press coverage for publication woman’, Adam Lee-Potter, Sun (front Little to be proud about in United of the Report on the Future page) Kingdom history, Scotland on Sunday of Multi-Ethnic Britain 35 Abuse heaped on Britishness report team, (letters to the editor) Andrew Norfolk, Times 23-Oct-00 Bulletin No. 324, December 2000 Defining the ‘Britishness’ of a multi-ethnic Black and Asian people obtain more society, Times (letters to the editor) degrees than whites. So why do so few ISSN 0965-7762 18-Oct-00 get senior jobs?, Mabel Msonthi, Guardian Women who could have been a match (office hours) In 2001,The Bulletin, for Charles, Maggie Morgan, Daily Express Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Melanie McDonagh, Runnymede’s Quarterly newsletter, What if Charles had been forced to New Statesman (the NS profile) will be published in the months of marry a black princess?, Michael Dobbs, Not such a bad home, Swapan Dasgupta, March, June, September and Daily Mail New Statesman December by: Why Charles should have chosen a black 23-Oct-00 bride, by peer’s wife, Steve Doughty, Daily A to Z of Britain’s Metro-Elite, Martin The Runnymede Trust Mail Phillips, Sun 133 Aldersgate Street Why it is vital to change what it means to 27-Oct-00 London EC1A 4JA be British, Bhikhu Parekh, Daily Telegraph Barmy’ report has no place in PF Tel: 020 7600 9666 Fax: 020 7600 8529 Are Lady Gavron and the Runnymede 30-Oct-00 Email: [email protected] Trust being racist?, Daily Telegraph (letters We are more British than we realise, Url: www.runnymedetrust.org to the editor) Darcus Howe, New Statesman Prince ‘should have black wife’,Vikram Who do you think you are, Melanie Annual subscription in 2001 is £22.00 Dodd, Guardian McDonagh?,Alibhai-Brown, Parekh, Skellington, New Statesman (letters) Typeset and printed by: Why does questioning the nature of St Richards Press Ltd. Britishness raise so much fury?,Yasmin 08-Nov-00 Leigh Road, Chichester, Alibhai-Brown, Independent (wednesday When it pays to be clear, Malcom Dean, West Sussex PO19 2TU. review, comment) Guardian Society Tel: 01243 782988 Row over ‘black wife for Charles’, Metro 15-Nov-00 Copyright © 2000 Charles should’ve been told to marry a Wrong on Runnymede, Stuart Hall, Runnymede Trust and black woman, Jane Kerr, Mirror Guardian Society (readers’ letters) individual authors. The opinions expressed by individual authors do not RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2000 necessarily represent the views of the Runnymede Trust.