No. 342

JUNE Bulletin 2005 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY

Labour’s third win leaves Commons’ ethnic mix unchanged Ta b le 1: MPs (BME) returned to Parliament by the 2005 General Election Name Constituency Party First Elected The 2005 General Election result has already faded into Diane Abbott Hackney North & Stoke Newington Lab 1987 memory. Apart from its purely historic significance for Labour, Keith Vaz Leicester East Lab 1987 Piara Khabra Ealing Southall Lab 1992 and starting, prolonging or ending the careers of individual Ashok Kumar Middlesbrough South & Cleveland East Lab 1997 MPs, it produced little general change. Omar Khan looks at Mohammad Sarwar Glasgow Govan Lab 1997 Marsha Singh Bradford West Lab 1997 how the black and minority ethnic vote affected the picture. David Lammy Tottenham Lab 2000* Mark Hendrick Preston Lab 2001* Though the General Election 2005 the Liberal Democrats’ first and only Parmjit Dhanda Gloucester Lab 2001 Khalid Mahmood Birmingham Perry Barr Lab 2001 produced an historic moment for BME MP Parmjit Singh Gill had lost Dawn Butler Brent South Lab 2005 the Labour party it did not witness their seats, the net overall increase Sadiq Khan Tooting Lab 2005 Shahid Malik Dewsbury Lab 2005 many major shocks nor did it in BME MPs was just 3.These results Shailesh Vara Cambridgeshire NW Con 2005 contradict the current electoral indicate some solid continuities with Adam Afriyie Windsor Con 2005 trends when looked at from the the most recent elections as well as Sources: Khan (2001b: 16–17); Census 2001; BBC 2005 Election website *First elected in a by-election. national viewpoint. Certain results some new developments. do indicate new developments, though it is perhaps too soon to Understanding the Ta b le 2: BME representation in General Elections 1979–2005 tell if they represent long-term Continuities Election BME BME MPs Party successes with BME candidates trends.When considering the role 1 – BME MPs are few in number candidates elected 1979 5 0 2 Lab, 2 Lib, 1 Con; no winnable seat and experience of black and The first BME MP,Dadabhai Naoroji, 1983 18 0 One winnable seat only (Labour) minority ethnic (BME) candidates was elected in the late 19th century, 1987 29 4 1st postwar BME MPs; all Labour 1992 24 6 1st postwar BME Conservative and voters, this story – of overall with two others elected in the early 1997 44 9 All Lab; 1st non-urban BME MP continuity but some local variance – 20th century. However, between 2001 59 12 All Lab; 1st Muslim, Scottish MP 2005 113 15 5 new MPs; 2 Conservative (see Table 1) is much the same. 1929 and 1987 no BME MPs were Sources: Khan (2001a: 3); Khan (2003: 15); BBC 2005 Election webpage; In the 2005 General Election, 15 returned to Parliament and very Operation Black Vote webpage BME MPs were returned to few candidates were even fielded by Parliament (see Table 1). Like every the major parties. Indeed, it was not three additional MPs in each other election since 1987, this until 1983 that a BME candidate election. Notably, the pace of represents a small upward trend, was fielded in a winnable seat, increase has not changed in line though at 2% of the House of though the breakthrough would with the rise in numbers of BME Commons’ total membership, BME have to wait until the General candidates since 1992. From an MPs still fall far short of matching Election four years later, when four overall UK figure of 7.9% black and their 8% overall figure for the UK. different Labour MPs (Diane minority ethnic population, a Five new members, two Abbott, Paul Boateng, Bernie Grant proportional share in a parliament Conservative (Adam Afriye and and Keith Vaz) won in urban seats in of 646 would be roughly 51 MPs. Shailesh Vara) and three Labour London and the East Midlands (see But if the current pace of growth of (Dawn Butler, Sadiq Khan and Table 2). three MPs per election continues, it Shahid Malik – see Table 1) joined Since 1987, the number of BME will take 12 more elections, or their colleagues in Westminster. MPs has increased consistently but roughly 50 years, to see 51 BME However, because Oona King and extremely slowly, with either two or MPs elected.

ISSN: 1476-363X RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 1 The current increase in BME the representative proportion of voters. By gaining Ilford South in MPs is even more underwhelming BME MPs ought to be over 100, 2005, the Conservatives won a in relation to the overall growth of but how close to that seat with their highest proportion the BME population in the representative total are we likely of BME constituents at 24%, or previous two decades. While the to be? 58th highest in the country. BME population passed two million The national trend of strong DEMOCRACY & around 1980, and three million in 2 – BME politicians have little support for the Labour party, REPRESENTATION 1990, by the 2001 Census it power particularly in urban seats, has numbered 4.6 million. So while the It is not only in terms of numbers impacted on the Conservative gap between the proportion of that BME representation falls far party’s ability to win certain seats BME MPs and BME inhabitants is short of national figures.There are that they competed for in the past. decreasing, the modest growth also very few influential BME Although the BME population has trends for MPs look even more leaders within the major parties more than doubled since 1981, insignificant. In about 50 years’ and indeed in Government. For from 2.1 million to 4.6 million, this time, it would not be surprising if example, only 4 out of 114 growth has been particularly Government posts (3.5%) are held marked in urban areas. As a result Ta b le 3:Top 20 constituencies in terms of BME by BME MPs or peers, and the the demographics of particular population proportion, with party holding seat (2005) only BME minister in the 23- constituencies have changed person Cabinet is Baroness Valerie substantially, such that urban seats Constituency BME pop. % Party Amos. that used to favour the East Ham 66.27 Labour Birmingham, Ladywood 64.89 Labour Conservatives have begun to lean Birmingham, Sparkbrook & Small Heath 64.84 Labour 3 – Urban seats with large BME towards Labour (see Table 4). Brent South 64.59 Labour populations vote Labour West Ham 60.23 Labour If the lack of numbers and New Developments Brent North 58.17 Labour influence among BME MPs 1 – Conservative BME MPs and Ilford South 54.87 Labour Ealing, Southall 52.67 Labour indicates one kind of continuity more candidates Camberwell and Peckham 50.24 Labour demonstrated by the recent Perhaps the most important Bethnal Green and Bow 49.82 Respect election, so too does the strength development of the 2005 vote was Leicester East 49.80 Labour of the Labour party in seats with the election of two Conservative Croydon North 49.49 Labour high proportions of BME voters. BME MPs – Adam Afriyie in Birmingham, Perry Barr 48.08 Labour Bradford West 47.40 Labour Such seats are invariably urban and Windsor and Shailesh Vara in Poplar and Canning Town 45.67 Labour often relatively deprived, indicating Cambridgeshire NW. Although Nirj Harrow East 44.87 Labour another source of the Labour Deva had become the first Tottenham 44.86 Labour party’s strength in these postwar Conservative MP during Lewisham, Deptford 43.36 Labour constituencies. As a result, 47 of the 1992–7 Parliament, since the Brent East 42.27 Lib Dem Hackney South and Shoreditch 41.72 Labour the top 50 seats in terms of BME first Labour landslide in the 1997 population are held by the Labour General Election no Conservative Sources: Khan (2003: 8); BBC Election website party (see Table 3). BME MPs had been elected. This strength of the Labour The Conservative party was party in seats with high BME disappointed not to win a closely Ta b le 4: Constituencies once held by Conservatives, with growing BME populations, now held by Labour populations points to a difficulty fought contest in Northampton- for both the Conservatives and shire in 2001, so in 2005 they Constituency Last held by BME% population Liberal Democrats. In general, made some significant changes. Conservative 2001 1991 1981 Brent North 1992 58.17 41.74 23 support for the two parties in While they tripled the number of Leicester East 1983 49.80 38.07 26 opposition is often strongest in BME candidates to 41, nearly all of Ilford South 1987 54.87 35.66 20 rural areas with small black and them were placed in unwinnable Croydon North 1987 49.49 30.94 23 minority ethnic populations.Yet seats. Crucially, however, Afriye and Harrow East 1992 44.87 30.24 17 most BME candidates were raised Vara stood in constituencies where Slough 1987 37.28 28.13 21 Streatham 1987 35.74 28.02 20 or educated in urban areas and the previous Conservative MP had Feltham and Heston 1987 38.98 27.02 20 thus presumably better represent been standing down and therefore Dulwich and West Norwood 1987 30.57 23.08 17 urban constituents. But as noted handing on an existing and possibly Ealing North 1992 35.28 22.98 <15 above, such urban constituencies loyal majority of the vote. Although Harrow West 1992 37.34 22.51 <15 with large BME populations are neither of these seats is urban, Brentford and Isleworth 1992 31.65 22.49 <15 Finchley and Golders Green 1992 26.17 21.29 16 among Labour’s safest seats. they are both on the edge of cities Hayes and Harlington 1992 34.17 21.25 <15 There are some important and have a greater proportion of Wolverhampton South West 1992 26.91 21.09 18 exceptions, as considered below, BME voters than most of the Luton South 1992 28.36 20.89 18 but even in London, where the constituen-cies in their region. Edmonton 1992 32.52 20.15 17 Conservatives made the biggest And the election of Labour’s Sources: Khan (2003: 10); BBC 2005 Election website gains, they did so in areas with Ashok Kumar in Middlesbrough relatively low populations of BME South and Cleveland East in 1997,

2 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 a seat with a BME population of candidate in an unwinnable safe about how this focus on foreign just over 1%, had taught tacticians Labour seat, they may nevertheless policy would affect Muslim voters.4 that BME candidates can win in benefit from it by demonstrating Within the Muslim community, areas with few BME voters. that they can speak to and for there was perhaps a greater BME voters. degree of activism even if the 2 – Liberal Democrat challenge in disagreement about electoral some urban areas 4 – Dropping Labour vote share options was deeper than usual. Although Parmjit Singh Gill was among BME voters? Among the various contributions DEMOCRACY & unable to consolidate the Leicester Some commentators seem to was a ‘voter card’ published by the REPRESENTATION South seat that he had gained for think that BME voters simply vote Muslim Council of Britain whose the Liberal Democrats in a 2004 for the candidate who shares their guidance was based on ten specific 1 For a list of by-election into a General Election ethnic background, perhaps issues ranging from Iraq to equal black and minority win, that earlier victory perhaps influenced by the fact that political opportunities to same-sex ethnic candidates indicates another trend.This is the parties usually field BME candidates marriage.5 in the 2005 possibility that the Liberal in constituencies with large black One way of determining the General Election, Democrats can compete with and minority ethnic populations. level of Muslim support for the seats they were contesting Labour in certain urban Historically, however, until the 1997 political parties is to compare and the party they constituencies, and even in inner- election, over 80% of BME voters results in 2001 and 2005 in those were representing, urban areas, with high BME supported the Labour party; these constituencies where Muslims form see the April 2005 populations. numbers remained much the same a significant proportion of the issue of Labour 2 The best evidence for this trend in 2001 (at 78%). Partially as a voting population. Following the Research, page 11. is the Liberal Democrat victory in result of such high levels of 2001 election, the top 42 Brent East, first won in a 2003 by- support, constituencies with large constituencies in terms of Muslim 2 See Fieldhouse election. Not only does the seat BME populations have been among population (over 10%) were all and Purdam have a 42% BME population, it has Labour’s safest seats. Even where held by Labour. In 2005 three of (2002). See also also traditionally been a safe the Conservatives and Liberal these were won by other parties, Anwar (2001), Labour seat (represented by Ken Democrats fielded BME candidates two by the Liberal Democrats Khan (2001b) and Saggar (1998). Livingstone among others), and the against a White Labour MP in such (Rochdale and Brent East) and one Labour party fielded a strong anti- seats, they often finished a distant by Respect (Bethnal Green & 3 At the time of war candidate. Another indicator second or third. Bow), but Labour’s vote share the Election, the of this trend is the Liberal In the last few years, however, decreased in almost every one of figures for BME Democrat victory in Hornsey and Labour’s support among BME these constituencies. In 5 of the voting intention Wood Green, and the overall loss voters appears to have shrunk. A top 20 constituencies the Respect varied quite of vote share by the Labour party Mori opinion poll in 2004 party was able to garner 17–26% widely. One even in constituencies that they suggested it had slipped to 56%.3 of the vote; and in another 14 the reason is that won convincingly. However, it is However, the level of support Liberal Democrat vote share different polling too soon to say whether the enjoyed by the Labour party varies increased by 7–23%. organisations, for Liberal Democrats have initiated a significantly within the various BME Labour majorities were reduced example MORI and ICM, have new trend or whether the communities. For example, it is sharply in most constituencies with different ways of particular circumstances of the sometimes said that the Asian a large number of Muslim voters. calculating voter Labour Government have made community shares the more Although the sitting MPs were able intentions. For certain supporters dissatisfied in ‘traditional’ social values of the to retain their seats, the results in other estimates, the short term. Conservative party, and evidence two Birmingham constituencies see the ICM poll does suggest that Indians in were the most remarkable in that quoted in 3 – Large increase in BME particular are far more likely to enormous majorities were reduced Templeton (2005). candidates vote Tory than Black Caribbeans or by over 35%. At the same time, the Another potentially new trend is Bangladeshis. Conservative party was unable to 4 See Charter the substantial increase in the capitalise on disaffection with (2005) and numbers of BME candidates in the 5 – Muslim voters and the Labour Labour, such that the Tory Doward (2005). 2005 General Election to 113, party candidate often dropped into third 5 http://www.mcb. from 44 in 1997 and 59 in 2001.1 An obvious source of BME place behind the Respect or org.uk/vote2005/ Although most of these seats are discontent with the Labour party is Liberal Democrat candidate. votercard1.php unwinnable, the size of this the war in Iraq. Britain’s 1.5 million Whether this is a temporary increase suggests two things. First, Muslims are particularly concerned development or points to a new more BME candidates are gaining about Labour foreign policy trend probably depends on how the experience of running for throughout the Muslim world, but long Iraq figures in national political Parliament and making an impact particularly in Israel, Palestine and debate, and whether the Respect within political party hierarchies. Iraq. During the run-up to the party or the Liberal Democrats Second, when the Conservatives 2005 General Election, there was can extend their support among and Liberal Democrats field a BME much discussion and speculation Muslims and beyond (Table 5).

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 3 Conclusion Labour party support that probably abstention from British politics.6 Although the 2005 General indicates substantial discontent Recent surveys demonstrate that Election was marked by some among the community with policies BME Britons are nearly as likely to particularities, for example the such as Iraq. vote as their White British significance of foreign policy issues, Among BME issues and counterparts and just as engaged it also exhibited continuities with a concerns, the election of two with the practices termed ‘social 7 DEMOCRACY & number of trends in recent Conservative MPs is perhaps the capital’ and ‘community cohesion’. REPRESENTATION elections. For those who remember most eye-catching. However, the The challenge for politicians who four consecutive Conservative Liberal Democrats were the chief wish to speak for and represent electoral victories, it is perhaps beneficiaries of dissatisfaction with BME Britons is the same as it is 6 See Le Lohe (1975). difficult to imagine that support for the Labour party.Throughout with regard to every citizen in the the Labour party across Britain western democracies, politicians UK – to listen and respond to 7 See Home assured it a relatively convincing suffer from issues of trust and issues that matter to them. On the Office (2004). and unprecedented third election connection with voters.Whatever evidence of the 2005 election, the win in a row. the apparent difficulties of the jury is still out for all the political But as the new developments Labour party in relation to the BME parties in respect of their ability to explored above suggest, Labour has population, it is by no means engage with BME Britons. not been entirely successful in obvious that BME communities are expanding the opportunities of enthusiastically rushing into the Sources Anwar, M. (2001) ‘The participation of ethnic existing and future BME MPs, such arms of any other political party, be minorities in British politics’, Journal of Ethnic that it now fields the fewest they Conservative, Liberal and Migration Studies,27( 3):533–9. Charter, D. (2005) ‘Muslims test their strength as candidates among the major parties Democrat or Respect. voters and candidates’, The Times,22 March. and its only BME Cabinet member This is not to say that BME Doward, J. (2005) ‘Muslims shop around as party leaders vie for vote’, The Observer,20 sits in the unelected House of voters are less engaged with the February. Lords. Among BME voters, the political process – quite the Fieldhouse, E. and K Purdam (2002) Voter Engagement among Black and Minority Ethnic reasons for discontent might differ, contrary. Discontent with politicians Communities. London:The Electoral but Labour party support dipped in and political parties is a trend Commission. Available online: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk (in most areas where BME populations throughout Britain, Europe and their 2002 reports section). were highest. Significantly, the areas North America, but we have come Home Office (2004) 2003 Home Office Citizenship Survey: People, families and with large Muslim populations saw a long way from the days when communities. Research Study 289. London: an extraordinary haemorrhaging of BME voters stood out in their The Stationery Office. Khan, O. (2001a) ‘How Representative are MPs?’, Runnymede’s Quarterly Bulletin,no.325 Ta b le 5: Labour majorities in 2001 and 2005 in 20 constituencies with highest (March). Khan, O. (2001b) ‘General Elections and the Muslim populations Black Vote II: Election 2001 – Still Not in the Picture, Runnymede’s Quarterly Bulletin,no. Constituency % Muslim pop. Comment 326 (June). Birmingham Sparkbrook 48.8 28% for Respect; LD up 7% Khan, O. (2003) ‘National Census: Constituency & Small Heath First’, Runnymede’s Quarterly Bulletin,no.336 (December). Bethnal Green and Bow 39.2 36% for Respect win; Oona King lost Le Lohe, M.J. (1975) ‘Participation in elections by Asians in Bradford, in I. Crewe (ed.), The Bradford West 37.6 Lab and Con down; LD up 12% - Muslim candidate Politics of Race. London: Croom Helm. East Ham 29.7 21% for Respect Saggar, S. (1998) The General Election 1997: Ethnic Minorities and Electoral Politics. Birmingham Ladywood 29.5 LD up 23% - Muslim candidate; Clare Short MP London: CRE. Blackburn 25.7 Lab, Con down; LD up 13%; Jack Straw MP Templeton,T. (2005) ‘The ethnic minority vote’, The Observer, 24 April. Poplar and Canning Town 25.4 17% for Respect West Ham 23.6 20% for Respect Websites cited and accessed BBC 2005 Election website: Bradford North 20.6 LD up 13%, Respect only 1%, BNP 6% http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_20 05/default.stm Ilford South 19.6 LD up 9% Census 2001: www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001 Leicester South 19.3 LD up 13%, but lost seat gained in 2004 by-election Muslim Council of Britain: www.mcb.org.uk, including: http://www.mcb.org.uk/vote2005/ Birmingham Hodge Hill 18.9 LD up 21% votercard1.php Oldham West and Royton 18.6 LD up 8%; BNP down 10% Operation Black Vote: www.obv.org.uk Parliament: www.parliament.uk, including Walthamstow 18.0 LD up 13% - Muslim candidate www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/not Rochdale 18.0 LD win, up 6%; seat targeted by MPAC es/snsg-01156.pdf Luton South 17.3 LD up 12% - Muslim candidate Omar Khan is about to visit India for Manchester Gorton 17.0 LD up 12% - Muslim candidate 3 months as part of his PhD project. Leyton and Wanstead 16.8 LD up 9% - Muslim candidate His studies are focusing on the Dewsbury 16.5 All parties with BME candidate; justifiability of policies – similar to BNP got 13%; Muslim Labour MP quotas and affirmative action – that Birmingham Perry Barr 15.9 Only 2% swing to LD; Muslim Labour MP aim to improve the position of Sources: Muslim Council of Britain website; BBC 2005 Election website disadvantaged groups in India.

4 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Open Access A PhD study at the University of Durham produced not just a thesis but a policy guidance document for English National Park Authorities on how to make their spaces and places attractive to visitors from minority ethnic backgrounds, specifically those from ‘visible communities’.1 Kye Askins summarises the findings of her report and the guidance it offers RURAL MATTERS on reframing the national picture of the National Parks consumer.

That England2 is a multi-ethnic nation is beyond 1 A term question, yet debate regarding ethnicity, A note on terminology: The research focused employed by multiculturalism, community cohesion and citizenship on people from Asian and African Caribbean Yasmin Alibhai- largely fails to be translated to a rural context. Issues of backgrounds, and the term ‘visible communities’ Brown in her ethnic diversity are urbanised, while a socialised (employed by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown) has been (2001) book Who Do We Think We understanding of the countryside as some last bastion adopted to highlight how people are identified – Are? Imagining the of ‘true Englishness’ – ‘white Englishness’ – appears to particularly in rural places – by their visibility as ‘not white’. ‘Visible communities’ is used as a political New Britain. remain deeply embedded in the dominant public London: Penguin. psyche. Indeed, despite England’s multi-ethnic signifier, to emphasise the specific exclusions in population, core national institutions involved with rural rural society experienced by Asian and African 2 The research policy do not reflect this. Caribbean communities. focused on access Not surprisingly, we continue to see attitudes such to National Parks as those revealed in the Cumbrian Attitudes 2004 •overarching approaches to such a policy; and in England Survey (see pp. ?-? this issue). Certainly, the majority of •specific proposals for action. specifically.As such, visible communities reside in urban areas, but the issue this article cannot here is one of national belonging, and having equality of Policy need incorporate issues regarding Welsh/ access to all parts of the country, including the There are three key drivers prompting a change in Scottish/Irish countryside. If we are to achieve community cohesion National Park policy. identities. However, – or recognise ourselves as a ‘community of the issues raised 3 communities’ – there needs to be a paradigm shift in 1.The relative absence of visible communities from the here may resonate the way we, as a nation, think about, produce policy for English National Parks with situations and actively manage our rural public spaces. Put The myth that ‘black people don’t visit the countryside’ experienced in another way, (white) countryside management that, is both untrue and unhelpful: visible communities do rural areas beyond even at its most ‘benign’, patronisingly speaks of visit National Parks, but not in numbers commensurate England. ‘tolerance’ and ‘welcome’ while mistakenly believing that with population statistics.The research found a lack of such tolerance or welcome is in its power to give, can awareness about National Parks and the facilities they 3 CFMEB (2000) no longer be substantiated. have to offer among visible communities – this The Future of Multi- Ethnic Britain:The It is said that National Parks represent the core of represents an inequality of opportunity that must be Parekh Report. English culture and heritage, evoking such exemplars as addressed. London: Profile the rural ‘idyll’, healthy pursuits and attachment to the Books for the landscape through their public authority status, 2. National Park purposes Runnymede Trust. interpretation materials and institutional name. National Parks have a statutory responsibility ‘to Constitutionally, they are charged to conserve and promote opportunities for the understanding and 4 J. Agyeman and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage enjoyment of the special qualities of the National Parks by R. Spooner (1997) of their areas, and promote to all-comers opportunities the public’. While the enjoyment of the Parks must be ‘Ethnicity and the for enjoying the Parks under the 1995 Environment Act. sustainable and not at the expense of the natural rural environment’, However, barriers preventing visible communities landscape (the Sandford Principle), the phrase ‘by the in P.Cloke and J. from accessing rural areas have been described as public’ must be interpreted as all people in society, and Little (eds) Contested both physical – a lack of transport/disposable implies across the country: it is not acceptable for Countryside income/leisure time to go to the countryside – and National Parks in a region with lower populations of Cultures, pp. emotional – feeling no sense of belonging in or visible communities to ignore their responsibility to the 197–217. London: ownership of rural space, and/or feeling unwelcome wider public. Each National Park should carefully Routledge. there.4 Though the Black Environment Network has consider how to begin promoting itself to visible been working to support and promote visible communities across the country. community engagement in the countryside for over a decade, these arguments still predominate.This article 3.The Race Relations (Amendment) Act (2000) contends that we need to see significant change in National Parks are listed in Schedule 1A of the rural policy and practice, outlining: RR(A)A, and, as public authorities, must ‘have due • the need for policy shift regarding visible community regard to the need: visitors; (a) to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination; and

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 5 (b) to promote equality of opportunity and good necessarily tackle racism or address specific issues relations between persons of different racial groups.’ faced by visible communities. If National Parks engage Clearly, these are positive duties that require pro-active with other disadvantaged groups because of their responses from all National Parks. In carrying out their ‘minority’ status, but not visible communities, this functions, National Parks should not only think through further disadvantages people from visible community the effects of their policies on visible communities, but backgrounds. RURAL take on responsibility for engendering good race Wider social inclusion also involves identifying MATTERS relations more generally. disadvantaged groups outside and inside National Park boundaries. Implementing initiatives for visible Policy approach communities without working with local communities Kye Askins is a Research There is a need for a shift in institutional mindset could potentially impair rather than promote good Associate at the towards working with visible communities. In the race relations. University of research, concerns were raised regarding the Durham.The full commitment of National Park Authorities to social 2. Centralised social inclusion funding report from inclusion and equal opportunities, the requirement that A coherent and centralised effort to tackle social which this they should take long-term approaches to issues exclusion issues, then, is vital, and this entails making article is drawn regarding ethnic and cultural diversity, and the core funding available for policy implementation: – based on research for the importance of projects aimed at empowering visible • Government funding – central government must show National Park communities, rather than patronising or tokenistic commitment to its social inclusion agenda, and enable Authorities – is measures.Three principal policy approaches emerged. National Parks to work on measures for equality by available at making specific funding available. This funding should www.moors.uk. 1. Social inclusion proofing be both new and ring-fenced for social inclusion net/learning/inde Tar geted projects for facilitating access, while a positive initiatives, with the stipulation that social inclusion x.php?mid=115. step, are not sufficient for real change. Rather, ethnic work must encompass projects addressing visible Its full title is Visible equality must be placed at the heart of rural policy, and communities’ needs; and Communities’ this requires ‘visible community proofing’. It is crucial • National Park funding – National Parks should Use and that National Parks policy should incorporate thinking commit money from their core budgets to tackling Perceptions of about ethnic relations throughout, and consider the social exclusion. Applying for additional external the North York potential effect of any policy implementation on the funding will no doubt remain necessary, but a Moors and Peak ability of visible communities to understand and enjoy genuine engagement with visible communities District National the National Parks. cannot rely on external grant applications alone. Parks: a Policy Guidance Under a broader Human Rights framework,‘visible Document for community proofing’ should be extended to socially 3. Monitoring and change National Park excluded groups more generally, within an overarching Policy responses must be alert to differentiation across Authorities. ‘social inclusion proofing’ agenda. However, this does and within visible communities: there can be no catch- not justify only engaging with visible communities all project that will be appropriate for everyone from a through other social inclusion priorities – visible visible community background. Initiatives need to be communities should certainly be incorporated within flexible – open to an evolving society and changing such measures, but issues regarding ethnicity must also circumstances in terms of visible community positions, be addressed in their own right.Targeting youth and in relation to rural issues and concerns. Careful groups or developing health initiatives does not monitoring of policy effectiveness is crucial, in order to assess strengths and weaknesses and to incorporate change.

Policy proposals A combination of policy actions is required, several of which are highlighted here.

Outreach Developing an appropriate outreach strategy is most important.Without knowledge of the Parks, it is unlikely that visible communities will explore the countryside for themselves. An important way to break through a self-fulfilling and exclusionary cycle is to take the message to the visible communities.This does not mean that National Parks should alter what they are – but embrace their multicultural heritage and build links across urban and rural England. Park Authorities should develop outreach initiatives paying particular attention to:

6 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 • outreach venues – go to where visible communities representations and careful use of language. In particular, are; interpretation should: • outreach methods – personal contact is crucial; • include visible community faces; • outreach personnel – specific skills are needed for •translate key phrases, particularly where need is this work; and identified through outreach; • community consultation and empowerment – a • replace text with visual imagery where possible; sense of ownership is necessary to improve the • incorporate inclusive narratives; RURAL effectiveness and sustainability of any initiative. •avoid ecological terminology with negative MATTERS connotations (eg invasive ‘alien’ species). Facilitating visits Promoting and expediting visits to the National Parks is one way – and an important one – to reduce practical and perceptual barriers to visible communities’ involvement with the managed countryside.Two principal aspects were identified by the research: the need to be inclusive of ethnic differences; and, at the same time, acknowledge similarities across different groups of people: • conserving countryside heritage must entail re- examining what that heritage is; and • visible community cultures will overlap with as well as differ from majority white traditions.

Working in partnership If policy intentions and initiatives to engage with visible communities are to be effective, National Parks must facilitate multi-agency partnerships working with a Training Photographs, on pp. 6, 7 and 8 variety of other bodies: ‘Diversity awareness’ training is important in promoting have been • visible community organisations; equality of opportunity and good relations between provided by •rural communities; people from different ethnic backgrounds. National Park Mosaic: BEN/CNP. They • other groups under-represented in national parks; Authorities should implement diversity awareness are of visits and training for staff, volunteers and board members. Costs Mosaic organised • urban organisations/agencies/authorities working will restrict the scope and speed of implementation, but to the North York Moors and Peak with (or intending to work with) visible community a long-term approach is advisable: a rolling programme District National groups. of diversity training could be implemented within, for Parks during the example, all new staff/volunteer induction periods. period of the project (2001–4) Building social capital The kind of training delivered is crucial. Diversity and appear with Without developing relationships between residents, training must be based on raising awareness of ethnic their permission. other National Park visitors and visible communities, and cultural differences, but with an emphasis on the success of policy initiatives will remain fragile.This treating people as individuals.A restrictive model of comes into the realm of engendering social capital diversity training – in which people are trained to across visible communities and other National Park recognise ‘difference’ and treat accordingly – can do users. Encounters between visible community and other more harm than good. Diversity awareness training groups can be instrumental in breaking down should equip National Park staff with knowledge stereotypes and addressing racism – organised visits regarding ethnic and cultural difference that is not tied should aim to facilitate encounters, rather than to presumption. separate visible communities from other visitors/residents (when the visible community group is Representation comfortable with this). Likewise,‘twinning’ initiatives National Parks need to increase the number of visible offer the potential for challenging assumptions and community staff, volunteers and board members to improving understanding between groups from diverse better reflect society in general. Steps can be taken ethnic backgrounds. proactively to: However, such a policy initiative must be sensitively •advertise all posts in visible community press, managed, and undertake groundwork with rural national and/or regional; communities, to ensure that prejudicial stereotypes are • develop a volunteer ‘mentoring’ scheme in dismantled rather than reinforced. partnership with visible community (and other) organisations; Interpretation • offer secondment positions to individuals identified The interpretation used in signage, literature and in in outreach work as interested in National Parks; outreach work needs to include multi-ethnic • initiate/participate in a ‘modern apprenticeship’

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 7 scheme, targeting visible communities; The North York Moors National Park has secured • include information regarding funding for a 5-year initiative called ‘Heritage employment/volunteer opportunities in the Parks Connections, New Audiences’, directly as a result of when undertaking outreach work; the policy report outlined here. As of April 2005, two • attend careers fairs in areas with high visible new project officers have been based in the urban community populations, and careers evenings in areas of Teesside (to the north of the Park), developing RURAL secondary schools, as part of outreach partnerships with a range of organisations to facilitate MATTERS programmes. community-led engagement with the Park.With a focus on ‘disadvantaged groups’, particular emphasis is Monitoring being placed on youth groups, people with disabilities 5 See The effectiveness of policy delivery should be and visible communities. Encouragingly, one of the new www.cnp.uk/mosaic monitored, and the outcomes shared with the officers is from an Asian background. -partnership. participating visible community individuals and In addition, the Countryside Agency completed a 6 6 See www. organisations. It is also important that National Parks ‘Diversity Review’ in 2004, and is currently undertaking countryside.gov.uk monitor ethnic background across all areas of their ‘action research’ projects to assess how to engage with /publications/ work, in order to improve policy implementation. groups under-represented as visitors to the articles. countryside, one of which focuses on visible Positive signs of change communities. 7 CFMEB (2000), The Mosaic Project was a 3-year partnership project op cit note 3. (2001–4) jointly managed by the Black Environment Multi-ethnic country/side Network and the Council for National Parks, dedicated Rural England has played a central role in national to ‘introducing ethnic minorities to National Parks and identity construction, but, as the Parekh Report clearly National Parks to local ethnic minorities … acting as states, a genuinely multi-ethnic England needs to re- advocates for both’. Mosaic was successful in facilitating imagine itself: visits to National Parks by visible communities and brokering relationships between them.The project’s The key issue … is one of English identity and how work has evolved into a new 3-year initiative, the previous conceptions of English identity have Mosaic Partnership5 (launched May 2005), aimed at excluded so many people who live in and richly empowering ‘community champions’ from within visible contribute to English society.7 community organisations to develop those relationships further, and also at addressing institutional The national institutions involved with rural policy must change amongst the Park Authorities themselves. Four start to recognise Englishness as not only white, if we National Parks are currently working with the are to move away from the idea of a racialised Mosaic Partnership. countryside, and challenge head-on the racism attached to such a construction.This does not mean that ‘the countryside’ is lost as a central symbol of Englishness; rather that we recognise and provide for the multitude of different people who value ‘the countryside’ in so many different ways.

8 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Experiences of a new rural REC Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council (LREC) of Nottingham District REC, Hermesh Lukhanpal of Peterborough REC and Amu Divani of is one of the newest Racial Equality Loughborough REC, all of whom very kindly gave us Councils. It was incorporated as a limited support and guidance in taking on our early company on 18 September 2002, and experiences of cases of discrimination. RURAL MATTERS became a registered charity on 1 August Feasibility study 2003. After 50 years of Racial Equality At one stage the Commission for Racial Equality considered our request to fund a post in Basheer Ahmed Councils, in fact if not in name, LREC’s Chair Lincolnshire, for which we would be required to would like to Basheer Ahmed writes about what it took raise matched funding for administration and thank April Spence accommodation.Though LFfRJ tried very hard and for her support in writing this article, to get an REC established in rural spent a lot of time and effort to raise funds, at the and Vic McLaren Lincolnshire. end we couldn’t raise enough to match what was for his customary needed. So, with the active endorsement of the helpful comments. From a Forum to a Council directors of all the East Midlands RECs, the CRE The views and To reach this stage has been a struggle. LREC started agreed in 1999 to fund the post of a project worker opinions its life in February 1988 as Lincolnshire Forum for whose job would be to undertake a feasibility study expressed are Racial Justice (LFfRJ), when the late Reverend Frank for establishing an REC in Lincolnshire. those of the Amery called a meeting of like-minded people to Milton Crossdale acted as the fundholder, and author, and do not think about establishing an organisation to promote Chris Burke was appointed to the position. He was represent any racial equality and better understanding between accommodated in the then Lincolnshire TEC building other member of people of different racial, national, religious and (now Lincolnshire Learning and Skills Council) where LREC’s board or staff. ethnic origins. he had a table, chair, computer terminal and Its first two or three meetings were attended by a telephone.With these limited resources Chris good number of individuals and representatives of collected data, carried out a survey and prepared a organisations from the public and voluntary sectors. draft report before funding ran out.Working with The private sector, however, did not show much Chris’s data and the draft, Professor Gary Craig and interest, and soon, as can happen with groups of this other members of the Committee were able to nature, we were left with a hard core of committed finalise and publish the report (January 2001), whose individuals and organisations. findings were sufficiently persuasive to encourage us Fundraising was one huge problem. Every door to reapply for funding. we knocked at, every meeting we attended elicited We applied for funds to both the CRE and responses like ‘there are not many Black and Lincolnshire County Council, and this time our Minority Ethnic (BME) people working here’,‘there is application was successful, in no small part due to no problem – everybody, including the BME groups, the support we got from Andrew Houseley, Jay Vyas is getting on quite well’, and ‘yes, but there is no and Hilal Shahid of the CRE’s Regional Office in demand for an REC’. Birmingham and the Directors of the East Midlands Somehow, LFfRJ not only survived but prospered. RECs. Tom Coates MBE, a Chief Superintendent of Police, made arrangements for us to hold meetings in Recruiting for LREC Lincolnshire Police Headquarters, and Sheridan Our next step was to recruit a director for Minshall, the then Chief Probation Officer, nominated Lincolnshire REC, and here we encountered a few To ny Eyres to represent the probation service.Tony more problems. Lincoln is not near major cities with Eyres then acted as LFfRJ’s Secretary.Telethon and high BME populations. As a result there is a lack of Churches in the Community gave a limited amount support facilities for BME groups in general, so many of funds – a few hundred pounds in total. So with otherwise promising candidates would be (and were) some support, in cash and in kind, we were able to reluctant to move here.We were therefore very keep going. fortunate that April Spence became the first director Despite difficulties LFfRJ managed to organise two of LREC. A committed, knowledgeable and hard- very successful conferences – in 1989/90 and 1995 working person, she had to begin her tenure with (the latter with significant input from Norwich and minimal resources – a chair, table, telephone and Norfolk REC) – with the aim of announcing our some stationery – and sharing a room with two existence and to network with other rural RECs. employees from a different organisation. From the However, it wasn’t so easy to achieve our principal start her hours of work were exceptional, as her aim of helping the victims of racial harassment or immediate tasks were to raise funds, register LREC discrimination without the support of paid staff or an as a limited company and charity, establish office.We were helped out by Milton Crosdale OBE partnerships, cope with casework, and make

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 9 presentations on our aims and objectives to would- chief officers, in shire counties it is almost impossible be partners and schools. Funding from Lincolnshire to see a chief officer from a BME group, whereas the County Council eventually enabled us to appoint a old local Strategic Criminal Justice Committees had part-time administrator to support her work. made provisions for BME members to be co-opted. On 23 January 2003 we held a conference in Both RECs and other BME groups have lost an Grantham to launch this REC. Chaired by Andrew important contact here, one where they were able to RURAL Houseley, Regional Director of CRE Midlands, with both obtain and feed in information on important MATTERS Beverly Barnard, acting chair of the CRE, Mrs Doreen issues. Lawrence and Tony Woolfenden of the Home Office as main speakers, the conference was attended by Pressures on funding Basheer Ahmed more than 120 delegates from a variety of In rural counties, people approach RECs with all types has been Chair of organisations.The launch generated considerable of problems, which in urban areas are dealt with by a Lincolnshire Race Equality Council publicity: people were now aware of our existence variety of other voluntary organisations.This puts since 2001, and and our workload increased. Lincolnshire County pressure on our limited resources.This is exacerbated has been actively Council’s Director of Public Safety, Alan Riddet, when providers of funds feel that it is better to involved with supported our application to fund a permanent allocate funds to urban areas where the need is more several voluntary administrator to help our director.This support apparent. BME groups, like the rural poor, therefore sector allowed sufficient time for the director to submit a do not receive the attention they deserve: they often organisations, successful bid to the Community Fund (Lottery remain unseen and unheard, and they suffer in silence. including Voice Fund) and a modest bid to the Community East Midlands, Empowerment Fund, on the basis of which we were Job prospects for BME candidates during that period. able to appoint one full-time and one part-time Our feasibility study, mentioned earlier, had revealed From 2001 to outreach worker. Again we faced a common how difficult it is for someone from a minority ethnic 2004 he was Chair of the problem for new RECs in rural counties – attracting group to find a job, and how much more difficult to Lincolnshire experienced applicants. Our greatest success is that, retain that job.This is something we would very much Probation Area against all odds, this REC is still in existence and like to research further, but can’t yet due to lack of Board, and is still a making progress. resources.Yes, we know that minority ethnic Board Member. It still faces problems in convincing existing and candidates are invited to interviews, but their success Other long-term potential funders that there is a real need for its rate happens to be very low. Interview panels tend commitments services. For example, where the BME population is not to have BME representatives on them – for include the small in terms of numbers, people will assume that example, in 2003/4, at the chair and trust member Lincolnshire there are no problems to be encountered and dealt appointment stage, four different Lincolnshire NHS Standing Advisory with, whereas the reality is that the problems can be Tr ust Panels had no BME representation, and none of Committee on the same however small the numbers, and the impact the independent observers was from a BME group. Religious Education, the on more isolated individuals can be even greater. Two of these four Trusts were criticised and their star Lincoln Interfaith Assumptions are often made, falsely, that there is ‘not rating (2002/2004) was reduced, and yet the same group and the much discrimination’. Also that among the BME chairs and mostly the same members were re- Islamic Association population there are few specific cultural needs that appointed. All of these recruitments were carried out of Lincoln. He can should be catered for. Individual outlooks and agendas by or under the supervision of the NHS be contacted by may differ from what the LREC itself is putting Appointments Commission, who sent letters to email at: forward, and there is still a long way to go before Lincolnshire REC to publicise vacancies on these m_basheerahmed BME people and others committed to diversity will Tr usts encouraging BME people to apply. BME people @yahoo.co.uk feel convinced that the REC has made progress did apply.They were invited to interviews but not towards improving equality issues in Lincolnshire. appointed. This can be contrasted with the process used BME representation during the National Probation Service’s recruitment However, while we are still without noticeable BME of Chairs and Board members in 2000.The contract representation on the Boards and Committees where for recruitment was given to a private-sector policies and strategies are made and remade, that organisation (Capita). At the end of the process 7 out BME voice is not able to influence decision-making at of 42 Chairs appointed were BME (though one the highest level.There is no BME representation on resigned within a year). In two rural areas there were any of the Lincolnshire NHS Trusts, no BME BME chairs. One of these areas made progress from a representation within the Lincolnshire Police ranking position of about 36 to 4 or 5; another rose Authority.The county and district council officers, from rank 9 to number 1. It seems BME people are however, to a varying degree, have established links: capable of being effective Board Chairs. However, at notably, the current Chief Constable (Mr Lake) within the end of the three-year period neither of these two three months of his appointment met with the chair were reappointed, and the number of BME chairs fell and the director of the LREC, and he and his officers to 4 with only one Asian among them.This keep in touch. reappointment had been carried out as an in-house Now that the Criminal Justice Boards consist of exercise.

10 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Support for rural RECs paid jobs makes Lincolnshire more attractive as a Perhaps it is time for the CRE or the Government’s place for BME workers to move to. Unfortunately, as Chief Diversity Adviser to take a look at public in many other rural areas, the far-right organisations appointments in rural areas.The reason for giving are already playing on the fears of the host these examples is in no way mischievous. It is, rather, community. These fears are based on lack of contact that within small BME groups the impact of such with BME groups. People in rural counties setbacks is swift and considerable, and the BME overestimate and overstate the BME population in RURAL population in general and potential candidates in the UK. Needless to say, new arrivals from urban MATTERS particular can and do become quickly disheartened. parts notice the difference in attitudes here. The upshot is that they may then not want to join All these changes require a well-resourced and LREC or other mainstream organisations, and say: well-supported REC to help local communities, ‘well what is the point?’, ‘it is a waste of time’, ‘we established or incoming, make a success of their don’t benefit, but the system does’, ‘…you have spent experiences of change. A number of public-sector 15 years working to improve things, show us an organisations have approached us to read and example of a BME person in a high-profile and comment on their Racial Equality Schemes.We responsible position in Lincolnshire, apart from welcome the approaches, but again this is an medical consultants’. additional burden on our already limited resources. It is very difficult to argue against such comments. The director, the staff and the members of the People’s reluctance to join LREC then works against executive committee all try very hard to meet the requests for funding and support from mainstream demands put on the REC, but Lincolnshire is a county organisations, and it becomes harder to keep with a sparse population, which only adds to the momentum going. I am reasonably confident that impact on resources of the time and cost of travelling similar problems are faced by other rural RECs. for meetings, casework consultations, and so on. In Lincolnshire, particularly in Lincoln itself, the We need additional resources to cope with what BME population is growing due to the establishment we are increasingly needed to do.We are sure that of the University, which is attracting BME students RECs in other rural areas are feeling similar pressures from within the UK and from overseas.With the in similar circumstances.We continue to hope – and connected expansion of the catering industry and the work to ensure that – we will be better resourced in NHS, the willingness of BME workers to take on low- the future than we have been thus far.

Exclusions rise Immigration,Asylum and Nationality Bill published 22 June 2005 The government released the latest figures on On the same day, 22 June, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants has published exclusions from school at the end of June. its analysis of the Government’s ‘five year strategy for asylum and immigration’ (issued in Unfortunately the figures do not represent a February as ‘Controlling our borders: Making migration work for Britain’ [Cm 6472]). breakthrough in dealing with ethnic inequalities in school discipline; in fact they represent more of the JCWI’s response, entitled ‘Recognise Rights, Realise Benefits’, can be downloaded from same. Exclusions from school increased by 6% between the following link: http://www.jcwi.org.uk/news/recogniserights.pdf 2002/3 and 2003/4. In real terms, 600 more pupils were banned from their school.A larger proportion of Its main points are: these pupils were from Black backgrounds – an increase in numbers from 590 pupils to 720. Black • The strategy paper is deficient because it presumes that migration can be managed by Caribbean pupils in particular were three times more an approach based on strict policing and constant surveillance of migrant likely to be excluded from school than their White communities. British counterparts. Children from White and Black • The policies advocated in the strategy are not sufficiently sensitive to the needs of Caribbean, and White and Black African backgrounds migrant and refugee communities and will generate unwanted tension and conflicts. were also more likely to be excluded.Traveller and • The ‘single points-based migration scheme’ called for in the paper is too complex in Gypsy/Roma children were as much as five times more its proposed structure to succeed. likely to be excluded.When government rhetoric turns • There is no justification for removing appeal rights for refused applicants seeking to being ‘tough’ on indiscipline in schools, Black and admission as students or as the dependent family members of work-permit holders. Gypsy/Traveller communities are most likely to bear • The proposal to impose ‘on the spot’ fines of £2000 on employers found to be the brunt. employing migrants without adequate documentation is draconian and will have a More than 500 permanent exclusions and 22 000 negative impact on ethnic minority communities far wider than the Government has fixed-term exclusions remained unclassified by ethnic reckoned for. group.Three years after the duties imposed by the • Reorganisation of the enforcement regime to allow for swifter removals contains too Race Relations (Amendment) Act, and on an issue few safeguards and is likely to lead to wrongful detention and removal. which is clearly having unequal impact on certain •Withholding a settled immigration status from recognised asylum-seekers is a communities, this is a serious failure that must be thoroughly retrograde step which will increase hardship and uncertainty amongst a addressed. vulnerable group of people.

Permanent and Fixed Period Exclusions from Schools and JCWI sets out arguments for an alternative approach to the reform of immigration policy Exclusion Appeals in England, 2003/04 (2005) SFR in its analysis, and calls upon the Government to recognise that the key to optimising the 23/2005 (London: DFES) benefits of migration will only come about when migrants and refugees are given a fuller Minority Ethnic Exclusions and the Race Relations stake in society and can rely on a clear set of rights to protect their interests. (Amendment) Act 2000 (2005) Carl Parsons, Ray Godfrey, Gill Annan, John Cornwall, Molly Dussart, Comments on JCWI’s analysis of Government policy can be emailed to them at: Simon Hepburn, Keith Howlett and Vanessa [email protected] Bill can be read in full on the Home Office website Wennerstrom, Canterbury Christ Church University [www.homeoffice.gov.uk]. College (London: DFES)

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 11 Cumbrian Attitudes

Another example of work in a It was notable, however, that when asked about predominantly rural area – here Kieran their personal prejudices the proportion of Cumbrians actually expressing prejudice towards gays Barr, Patricia Bell and Mohammed Dhalech RURAL and lesbians was the same as in figures from the MATTERS set out some of the initiatives Cumbria is national surveys, 17%. In fact the Cumbrian findings putting in place in response to findings from mirrored those nationally in that, while around 40% said that gays and lesbians suffered prejudice, only 1 Now expanded by recent survey work the county the publication of half that number admitted to holding that prejudice Understanding themselves. Prejudice: Attitudes commissioned on public attitudes towards towards Minorities,by In comparison with attitudes towards the other Gill Valentine and Ian race and diversity. two main ‘prejudiced against’ groups McDonald, London: Stonewall (November (Gypsies/Travellers and Refugees), where the 2004) Cumbria is a county of contrasts.While proportion of respondents saying these were groups [www.stonewall. org.uk], which geographically it is the second largest county in that suffered prejudice and the proportion saying ‘investigates links between prejudices England, in terms of inhabitants it is one of the they held that prejudice themselves was closely against minority smallest and most sparsely populated. And despite matched, these findings suggest that some forms of groups in modern Britain‘. the beauty of the Lake District, Cumbria also prejudice may be more ‘socially acceptable’ than includes some of the most deprived wards in the others – more acceptable than admitting to 2 Cumbrian Attitudes 2004: Public attitudes country. homophobia for example. towards race, diversity These factors make Cumbria a challenging and neighbourhoods in Cumbria produced a environment in which to develop the equality and wealth of information. diversity agenda but over the past 3 years the How rumour can affect community attitudes It is beyond the scope There is a general lack of trust in official sources and, of this piece to council and its partners have been working hard to paradoxically, the media, inducing comments such as discuss more than a selection of its move things forward. ‘they are not telling us everything’. As a result findings. Complete informal sources and gossip from friends and findings from the The survey contacts are given a lot of credence.This process of survey are available information dissemination often leads to the via the council’s Cumbrian Attitudes 2004,a survey of public attitudes website circulation of negative views and paranoia (especially [www.cumbria.gov.uk/ towards race, diversity and neighbourhood in in relation to asylum seekers and travellers) and diversity]. See also the Cumbria, was conducted jointly by Cumbria County supports the justification of prejudice because it Home Office’s Finding no. 253: Diversity, trust Council and Cumbria Constabulary using the produces consensus – that is, other people saw it or and community council’s citizens’ panel.The work was carried out in think the same. participation in Understanding Prejudice: Attitudes towards minorities, England by Rachel summer 2004, and 1230 panel members responded Pennant Stonewall, p. 18, no. 4.7 [www.stonewall.org.uk] [http://www.home to the survey. office.gov.uk/rds/pubin The questionnaire was designed to allow a degree tro1.html], based on the 2003 Citizenship of comparability with findings from surveys It was encouraging to find that knowing someone Survey conducted nationally.To this end, specific questions from a minority group reduced the likelihood of a [http://www.home office.gov.uk/rds/citi were taken from the following surveys: person being prejudiced towards that group. zensurvey.html]. However, this knowledge effect was less marked in 1 3 ‘Strategies to • Profiles of Prejudice (MORI/Stonewall, 2003) relation to Asians, and even less so for reduce prejudice have • Britain Today – Are we an intolerant nation? Gypsies/Travellers. In that respect, it is interesting to centred on what is known as the (MORI/Reader’s Digest, 2000) note that only 13% of respondents knew someone contract-hypothesis. In other words, the best who was a Gypsy/Traveller. way to reduce and some of them were adapted specifically to Despite a lack of accurate data this group is often prejudice is to bring different groups allow respondents to answer in relation to Cumbria considered the largest minority ethnic group in the together so that rather than the UK as a whole. Some of the findings county.The low proportion of the general public people can learn about each other. are discussed next. who know anyone from this community suggests a However, it is the very low level of integration between the two quality and nature of 2 the contact,rather The findings settled and traveller communities. Given the than the amount, that is most effective in The survey’s questionnaire asked people to identify evidence in relation to other minority groups, challenging prejudice. which groups they felt were most likely to increased interaction between the majority and the For example, workplaces appear to experience prejudice and discrimination in England Gypsy/Traveller community might have the effect of be important and also in Cumbria. On the one hand, Cumbrians breaking down barriers and reducing the current locations for fostering natural positive felt ethnic minorities were less likely to suffer high levels of negativity expressed towards this group contact and prejudice in Cumbria when compared to the rest of by the general public in Cumbria.3 friendship’ (Stonewall’s report England; on the other, they felt gay and lesbian Understanding people were significantly more likely to experience The Council’s response Prejudice,Nov 2004, p.21, note 7.7). homophobic responses in Cumbria than elsewhere. It is within this context that work on equality and

12 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 diversity has been carried out over the last 3 years – encampment, and balancing the needs of the settled a journey that has thrown up challenges at all levels community with those of Gypsies and Travellers.This and within all sectors. One of the very first latter issue was considered particularly important, as challenges at the Council was to convince the survey had shown that almost 4 in 10 people Councillors that ‘access’ was about more than ramps admitted prejudice towards Gypsy/Travellers. for wheelchairs and prams, but was about ensuring A key issue for many of those respondents was equality of access to services for all members of the the negative impact of encampments on their RURAL community. community.The Joint Agency Group has developed a MATTERS The biggest challenge in delivering race equality protocol5 for dealing appropriately with unauthorised and the wider diversity agenda is convincing organisations – their boards, members and officers – that equality is important for their business whatever it may be. As was identified by ‘Keep Them in Birmingham’4 over a decade ago, in many areas equality and diversity issues are seen as being a problem, but a problem ‘we don’t have here …’.That used to be the case for Cumbria, but no longer. Raising awareness and delivering equality is never easy but particular issues come to the forefront in such a rural area.The Council and its partners have been keen to avoid the ‘tick box’ approach of short- term fixes. Rather, they have focused on work that will bring about real and long-term change in and for Cumbria.The approach has been slow and methodical in order to ensure that the whole Council and other Cumbria-based organisations are encampments.The main purpose behind the ‘Ally Comes to travelling in the same direction and at the same protocol is to facilitate effective partnership working Cumbria’ in performance speed. between agencies, and ensure the needs of the From among numerous initiatives in support of Gypsy and Traveller community are effectively this aim, examples related to race have included ‘Ally assessed and met. Again, all the major agencies are Comes to Cumbria’ – a piece of forum theatre that partners in this work, which is further supported by tours schools to highlight the issues of racial bullying initiatives within the Local Education Authority. One and harassment. It tells a story of Ally who arrives way the LEA is encouraging access is by having the from Manchester to start at a new school in Sure Start bus visit sites and support both the Cumbria. Ally, who is black, faces different reactions children and their families in getting involved with from the pupils and teachers. After each full-time education. performance a workshop gives pupils the Recently the Joint Agency Group put together a opportunity to come up with ideas and then to act baseline assessment on Gypsy and Traveller issues in them out, and thereby explore and experience how Cumbria for the Commission for Racial Equality. The the characters could have acted differently.This piece Cumbrian Attitudes Survey had shown that Gypsies and has been a most creative way of addressing the Travellers were the group that suffered the most issues of racist bullying in schools. prejudice in Cumbria. Indeed the survey showed that Other initiatives have included the Heartstone levels of prejudice in Cumbria were higher than those Project, which aims to challenge racism, prejudice, reported nationally (39% in Cumbria compared to bullying and intolerance through story fiction and 35% nationally).There are some difficult issues to story journalism. resolve, such as breaking down prejudices within agencies, encouraging communication between the Working with Gypsies and Travellers Gypsy and Traveller community and the public sector, As the survey questionnaire had revealed, one of the and challenging discrimination from service providers main challenges would be working with the Gypsy in both the private and public sectors. By engaging in and Traveller community to try and improve dialogue, solutions can be found.The Survey results relationships with the majority settled community. will help to inform the future work of the group in One of the first steps was to establish County setting priorities for action. and area-wide Joint Agency Gypsy and Traveller groups in 2003. Now, in 2005, a range of agencies Disabled, Black and Minority Ethnic, Lesbian, 4 Jay (1992) ‘Keep Them in Birmingham’, attend their meetings, including representatives of Gay Bisexual groups London: Commission District Councils, the County Council, Public Health, Due to the small sample, the Survey findings in for Racial Equality. the Police, and the Gypsy and Traveller people. relation to these groups should be regarded with 5 (http://www.cum Groups have focused on delivery of services, criteria some caution, but findings from the Cumbrian bria.gov.uk/elibrary/ for site provision, problems of unauthorised Attitudes Survey suggest that minority ethnic, and view.asp?id=8270)

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 13 gay and lesbian people have low levels of confidence community have come together from across that they will be treated fairly by public services. In Cumbria and formed Cumbrian AWAZ BME Forum particular, barely one-third of gay or lesbian (The voice and social network of the BME respondents were confident they would be treated Community in Cumbria) [www.awaz.info].There are fairly by the police. In general, disabled people had two main reasons why this kind of focus on minority the same degree of confidence as the majority. Only ethnic groups is needed in Cumbria: RURAL in regard to leisure and recreation services did they 1. the county does not have an established Black MATTERS express significantly less confidence. and Minority Ethnic Voluntary and Community While the mission statements of most public sector, and authorities stress their intention of giving quality 2. consultation through established channels is not service to all members of the community, something working. needs to be done to ensure these statements are This is another way forward to try and obtain the lived up to – or suitably amended. views of BME people in this county and engage them in community activities. The levels of confidence shown by minority ethnic Confidence in criminal justice groups, also gays and lesbians, in the service delivered agencies amongst minority groups by the Police and the Criminal Justice agencies were Service % indicating they were confident or very especially low, the Survey reported. confident that BME/LGBT would be treated fairly The results of the Cumbrian Attitudes Survey by each service have renewed the resolve on the part of these Group agencies to engage more effectively in future – in All BME LGBT 2005 in particular – and one of the starting-points Police 71 54 37 for this renewal of resolve is that they are all active County Courts 77 51 51 partners in the 2005 research project. Also, plans to develop existing community networks, so that the needs of each community can be better understood and the quality of service We want to see an end to headlines, such as these, appearing in improved, are supported by the intention to use the local paper, with people being forced to leave the area: groups such as the Cumbria LGBT alliance and AWAZ to assess the impact of major issues in the Jailed for race-hate community. New racial incident victim and witness surveys have already begun. campaign on family In 2004 the Constabulary introduced LGBT A BIGOT who repeatedly harassed an Asian family in Carlisle – almost Liaison Officers to try and increase confidence in driving them out of the city – has been jailed for four months reporting hate crime.While this has not yet led to Cumberland News 06/05/2005 any significant rise in the reporting of incidents, these officers have established more effective and positive links with gay and lesbian groups in the county. The Survey concludes: The joint authors Final thoughts of this article are: ‘While this strong sense of community is no doubt Efforts to deliver equality in Cumbria will continue. Kieran Barr, who is a positive aspect of life in Cumbria, combined What has been developing is the infrastructure to with Cumbria with relatively high levels of antipathy towards ensure that long-term developments will have County Council; minority groups Cumbria might easily been seen predominantly positive outcomes for the half million Patricia Bell, as a particularly unwelcoming place for minorities. or so inhabitants of our county. Most recently the Diversity Adviser This could have implications not just for minority Cumbria Race and Diversity partnership have made with Cumbria groups who live here but also for Cumbria’s a formal link with the Cumbria Strategic Partnership Constabulary; and success as a tourist destination and its economic, as a task group, and various partners have agreed to Mohammed social and political development.’ the development of a Cumbrian Centre of Dhalech, Equality Excellence for Equality and Diversity.This will provide Officer for Black and Minority Ethnic research project both strategic support and guidance for new and Cumbria County The Cumbria Race and Diversity Partnership existing groups working with diverse communities Council (and, from decided to investigate these problems in more depth and individuals.The challenge that remains will be not July 2005, for minority ethnic groups and commissioned a piece just to engage with the social groups whose attitudes Partnership of research to take place in April/ May and to be and problems the Survey has helped us to define Facilitator/Consult- published in July 2005.The results of their further, but to deliver improvements directly to the ant at The Centre consultation will inform the Survey partners of the communities affected by racism, homophobia, for Local Policy needs, views and opinions of the BME community in prejudice and discrimination. Only time will tell how Studies, Edge Hill Cumbria, and the actions required. the frontline impact has changed people’s quality of College). During this same period members of the BME life in Cumbria.

14 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 The Core of Britishness Caroline Knowles

Shabina Begum, the 16-year-old Muslim schoolgirl from Luton whose IDENTITY successful appeal, based on the European Convention of Human Rights, allows her to wear the more 1 This Research is modest jilbab to school, is a recent funded by the focus in the row about how those British Academy as with immigrant origins should part of the conduct themselves in Britain. Rod Landscapes of Liddle (Sunday Times, 6 March 2005) Belonging project in defence of what he calls ‘the core and I gratefully of Britishness’ says: ‘We cannot force acknowledge their parents to inculcate that core of Britishness support. in their homes; but we can [and he is insisting we should] ensure that it takes place in our schools’. It’s a familiar refrain.This time it’s about clothes; in the past it’s been about where people live, especially in Northern neighbourhoods like Bradford and Burnley with recent urban disturbances. British Asians are definitely getting the worst of the ‘core of Britishness’ argument which pops up in a different form in the proposed new citizenship tests. What exactly is this core of Britishness our once-migrant citizens are expected to embrace? There are many versions of it. Essentially it‘s a demand that those marked by ‘non- British’ cultural influences live in ways that minimise (and preferably erase) publicly visible difference in lifestyle, exits by students and contract are carefully distinguished from patterns of association and appearance. workers. ‘Slamming the Door’ suggests asylum-seekers when decisions about At least this is what it means when that a third of British people are leave to remain in Britain are being applied to life in Britain.This is actively considering moving out of the made. Of course need is problematic; absolutely not what it means when country.That’s quite a lot of us, and you could say that even refugees do British people migrate to other sociologists, including myself, are not need to move. Many stay put and countries and they become ethnic starting to research it.Through this suffer the consequences. But need has a minorities. In this circumstance the research we are starting to build a different urgency in refugee lives, core of Britishness becomes the exact more systematic picture of how which are organised by more basic reverse of the standards applied to those British migrants behave when they forms of survival. who come to Britain. move to other countries. While the Brits who leave are Migration out of Britain is now a Who are the Brits who leave? We socially diverse they all have the significant and growing trend. can think about them as ‘lifestyle resources needed to make such a ‘Street scene in Organisations like Migration Watch migrants’, those who weave together move, a global sense of place and a Southampton’ (this page) and monitor it and the Sunday Times bits of what they ‘need’ or demand in certain tolerance of risk. Many – ‘The Club, Hong Magazine (24 October 2004) devoted life from different places, and who according to the Sunday Times and Kong’ (p. 16) a 12-page feature to it, called think about belonging in terms of the my own research in Hong Kong1 – were both ‘Slamming the Door on Britain’. satisfaction of their needs. Lifestyle leave because they are fed up with photographed by Government statistics show that migrants do not ‘need’ to move, they Britain rather than because they Caroline Knowles, and are annual out-migration has increased seek a change of place in order to positively want to go and live in reproduced here from 266,000 in 1993 to 359,000 in upgrade their circumstances: they are another country: and this is significant with her 2003, a figure that includes temporary economic migrants, the people who in how they behave.This is what permission

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 15 migration experts call ‘push factors’ now provides the templates for 50 clubs in the Fuengirola area of the and for lifestyle migrants these everyday life. O’Reilly’s2 research on Costa Del Sol, with a ‘British club’ for outweigh ‘pull factors’.The Sunday Brits who have moved to Spain points every activity.There are societies Times discussion settles on the causes out that the most popular destinations which run jumble sales, bingo of this ’push’ in the cost of living in for European migrants are very similar sessions, quizzes and bazaars, and book ‘rip off Britain’ and an array of other to the destinations for international visiting speakers. Home away from IDENTITY annoyances, from traffic speed package holidays.This, too, colours the home: the core of Britishness. restrictions to crowding and urban way British migrants behave when Brits in Hong Kong – though a 2 Andreas Huber violence. My personal favourite is the they live abroad. diverse lot in terms of age, social class and Karen O’Reilly family that was fleeing to Florida to And how do these lifestyle and length of residence – are equally (2004) ‘The escape British inner-city violence. migrants bent on leaving Britain in tribal in their habits. Few can function Construction of Some of these reasons to move sound search of better, pleasanter lives – in other than a very rudimentary way Heimat Under familiar from my interviews with Brits preferably on a beach – integrate in Cantonese.Those who have made Conditions of living in Hong Kong in the sense that themselves with the local the effort to go beyond a few words Individualised discontent with Britain predominates, communities they join? Do they do of greeting are former colonial Modernity: Swiss people want dislocation not new any better than Ms Begum? Let’s take servants who have stayed on and and British Elderly forms of community – and sometimes a look at the estimated three-quarters moved onto local conditions of Migrants in Spain’, the ‘problems’ of multi-racial of a million Brits who live in Spain – employment that demand basic Ageing and Society coexistence become reasons to go. mostly, of course, on the Costas. proficiency in Cantonese. Brits in 24: 327-51. The predominance of ‘push Huber and O’Reilly’s research shows Hong Kong get by because so many factors’ propelling out-migration that their integrating skills are actually local Chinese people (40%) speak shows in the way people make snap rather poor. Learning Spanish is a English. Like the Spanish-based Brits decisions to leave. One couple I gateway to getting on with the locals, they socialise with each other in Caroline interviewed spent 15 minutes yet over 70% had only very basic skills familiarly British ways in clubs and Knowles is a Reader in deciding to take a teaching job in in Spanish conversation and 22% bars.They can get a high tea at the Sociology at Hong Kong.You are entitled to believed it was entirely unnecessary to Peninsula Hotel or a steak and kidney Goldsmiths wonder about the experience of learn Spanish in order to live in Spain. pie at the Old China Hand pub. Most College. She is working in a British classroom when Even among other Northern have only formal and distant the author of teachers opt to live in a place they European migrant groups the British relationships with the Chinese people Bedlam on the Streets have not visited and about which they were the least compelled to learn they come across at work or in (Routledge know next to nothing.‘Push’ is also Spanish, with substantial numbers of serving capacities. Otherwise their 2000), Race and betrayed in the fact that people are British residents of over 30 years’ social networks are Western expat, if Social Analysis vague about where they want to go. standing speaking no more than 20 not entirely British. (Sage 2003), Sentiments like ‘anywhere but here’ words of Spanish.This is no Their children are in an interesting joint editor (with Paul Sweetman) and ‘abroad’ predominate with people impediment to making themselves ‘at position too: permanent Hong Kong of Picturing the shopping in multiple locations intent home’. Some of them told Huber and residents without the skills for social Social Landscape on trading old lives for new and not O’Reilly:‘I have no plans to go back participation. Many were born in (Routledge too fussy about where they go. home’ and ‘This is where my heart is’. Hong Kong or have spent a 2004) and More positive ‘pull’ factors include Huber and O’Reilly also found that substantial part of their lives there. (with Claire Alexander) better weather, beaches, better the British in Spain spend a great deal They expect to be, and are, educated Making Race environments and generally easier and of time with each other in bars, clubs, in English in the English Schools Matter (Palgrave pleasanter lives, which leaves you associations, private homes and Foundation system.They sit British 2005). wondering if the (package) holiday expatriate businesses.There are over exams, wear British-style uniforms and attend British universities. Like their parents, they have a complex, antagonistic relationship with Britain. Also like their parents they live in an expat bubble of partial understanding, cut off from the mainstream Chinese media, unable to understand the TV, radio or newspaper, unable to eavesdrop on conversations on the bus or establish anything but superficial relationships with Chinese people. Ms Begum and the others are neither so cut off from the society in which they live, nor are they so accommodated. Colonialism worked in a different way for them too.The core of Britishness indeed!

16 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Dressed to Fail? Black male students and academic success

Ex-army parkas, camouflage gear newsworthy occurrence. and studded leather jackets have This exaggerated attention serves a EDUCATION purpose. It reminds the public of the deviant had their day as the protest wear and undesirable status of the hoodie, now & IDENTITY of choice for disaffected youth. designated as an object of fear that must be avoided at all costs.While there is a segment of 1 The response Nicola Rollock looks at how the the population that hides behind hoods and from the stylist, hooded top has been transformed caps in order to carry out criminal acts, clearly who had been it does not follow that all hoodie-wearing invited to counter from a source of warmth and persons are criminals, nor that all criminals the consultant’s wear hooded tops! Yet this is the very view, was that the fleecy comfort into yet another caps by stereotype perpetuated by a kind of moral themselves were threat to public serenity. panic we have recently been witnessing in the not aggressive, as media. It is a moral panic that is also directed So the hooded top (‘hoodie’) is the uniform of was being implied, to other forms of youth subculture: in the troublemaker. It is a ‘signifier of disgruntled, but it was the particular, that of young Black men. behaviour of the malevolent youth, scowling and indolent’ person wearing according to the Guardian (McLean, 2005). Black students and academic success the cap that Even our Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, regards needed to be hoodies as a sign of intimidation and, in their bid to clamp ‘There are some children in this school who because they fit managed or down on anti-social behaviour, both he and the Prime the look of an academically successful child, yeah, often quite controlled.This Minister have lent support to the Bluewater shopping centre’s hard working, always does the work on time, they are labelled was an informal report, recent customer ban on all wearers of hooded tops and caps. as being the gifted ones, the very academically able ones …’. These often uncritical, quick-fire judgements have interspersed with Ms S2 (Support staff) [emphasis added] culminated in a fear about the apparently deviant humour and characteristics implicit among the wearers of hooded tops banter, and lasting I have been listening intently to these debates about hood no more than (and similar items of clothing) and have negatively impacted and cap-wearing because of its relevance to my doctoral three minutes. on the perception and treatment of young people who wear research ‘How Black students become academically However, the them, witnessed through increased police and public successful’. I began the research with a sense of frustration message had been surveillance. I argue that we ought to extend a more critical about the persistence of a language of failure and conveyed about a approach to this readiness to stereotype and denigrate sections disadvantage surrounding not only Black youth but also their potential link of our society, since it is not limited to young people in our between cap families. I was aware of the national statistics that placed them shopping centres and on our street corners but extends to the wearing and as least likely to achieve 5 or more good (A* to C grades) at ‘street culture’ and subsequent demonisation of young Black aggressive GCSE3 (DfES, 2005) and that saw Black boys at least three men that may well contribute to their failure in school. behaviour. times more likely to be excluded from school than their ‘Hoodlums and Hoods’ (Guardian, 18 November 2004); white counterparts (DfES, 2004). 2 Unrelated initials ‘Hood Riddance’ (Daily Mirror, 20 May 2005);‘Bluewater Further, it seemed troubling to say the least that, in the have been used profits from “hoodies” ban’ (Telegraph, 20 May 2005) have wider context of the history of ‘race’ and education, there throughout, to been just some of the newspaper headlines since November had been no single government policy which had successfully respect the 2004, all arising from the furore of an alleged relationship closed the gap in achievement by ethnic group.Through my confidentiality of between delinquent behaviour and hooded tops. research, I wanted to present the opposite side of the participants. This furore, while it has received heightened attention of equation – Black students and success.This is an issue that is late, is not new. 3 Travellers of Irish rarely discussed in the UK, but as Osler (1999) insists, In November 2002, for example, BBC Radio 4 carried a heritage and ignoring success within the Black community can be as brief report during the Today programme, which featured a Gypsy/Roma damaging as focusing on its apparently incessant failures. senior consultant campaigning for baseball caps to be banned pupils tend to do I was interested in the school processes that facilitated the least well at from his hospital on the grounds that it was ‘the start of a academic success of Black secondary school students and GCSE. chain of uncivil behaviour that leads directly to assaulting sought to understand how they perceived their educational doctors and nurses’1 [emphasis added]. Hooded tops now experience. In so doing, I hoped to learn what worked for 4 I interviewed receive regular negative attention in news reports. For academically successful Black children to not only ensure students who had example, the hooded tops worn by perpetrators are now a continuing support for these students but, also, to help been identified by prominent feature of their criminal activity (‘Hoody the school as teachers work constructively with those Black pupils who Robbery’, Daily Mirror, 24 May 2005;‘Reclaim our streets: being academically experience problems at school. Further, I felt my findings hoodies jail plea’, Daily Mirror, 23 May 2005); ‘British successful, the might suggest new ways for schools and LEAs to abide by pensioner shot dead at Spanish home by hooded gang’,The majority of whom their legal imperative to promote race equality (CRE, 2002). Observer, 15 May 2005). Hooded tops become a salient detail felt that anyone Amongst the many questions posed during interview, I could be in the case of anti-social behaviour disorders (e.g.‘Court bans asked both staff and pupils how they would identify a pupil successful as long teenager from wearing hoodie’, Guardian, 27 May 2005) and who was academically successful, and found that a common as they worked when schools across the UK have taken action to ban the view amongst many staff was that there was a profile of who hard. hoodie from their buildings and playgrounds (‘Welsh school was expected to be academically successful and who was not. bans hoodies’, Guardian, 4 June 2005), it is reported as a

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 17 Such a dichotomy did not exist for pupils.4 Amongst staff, the deemed to be equally influenced by its negativity. In her most frequent perception was that academically successful view, rap does not promote education and excellence, students tend to be white, female, have good conversational implying that there are other genres of music that do. and social skills, be highly motivated and come from families that understand and appropriately exercise an appreciation of ‘I think it [peer pressure affecting academic success] is more education. Moreover, staff felt that successful students do not [prevalent] for boys, er, I think we have, er, had, um still act in ways which emphasise their individuality and exhibit have an issue with Black boys in as much as we have it no obvious (or only minimal) displays of Black subculture. outside.There is this sort of gang culture ... it’s a street EDUCATION This suggested that the opposite might be true in defining culture, erm, and that does impact.And I think it’s when & IDENTITY the profile of the student who was not successful you hear and you see both white and Black boys around academically. In other words, the student who was not with their hoods up, erm, trying to look the part, erm, that I academically successful might be Black, male, poorly think is outside impacting and that is peers impacting 5 This apprehen- motivated and come from a family that neither understood because you wouldn’t really walk around a hot building like sion is easily nor exercised adequately their appreciation of education.That this with your hat on or big anorak hood up which is what understood in the student would display individualistic behaviour and subscribe they do. If you go up at lunch time, for example, you’ll see context of the way in which to Black street culture.As my findings revealed, many staff them up there and it’s not just Black boys, it’s Black and young people in link Black street culture with an explicit anti-school attitude; white boys but it is again, this idea of a gang culture.And hooded tops have an interpretation that I now wish to problematise. the little ones copy and that’s worrying because they copy been constructed the way they walk, the way they dress’. Mrs W as objects of fear. The influence of Black street culture (Humanities teacher) Some of the female members of staff who were interviewed expressed a particular concern about what they described as a I am not arguing that the street culture that some of these Black street culture, which they regarded as anti-school and young men engage in has entirely beneficial consequences. elements of which they feared.5 Hoodies, Nike clothing, However, it is notable in the above quotation by Mrs W,as it Sources music (that is to say rap music), ways of walking and talking, is with her colleagues cited earlier, that she is convinced of were all identified as part of this Black street culture.Their the pervasive nature of these cultures, which in this case CRE (2002) Code of Practice on the Duty apprehension about these cultural subcomponents was based infiltrate the school and school norms in the form of hoodie to Promote Race on what these elements were seen to represent.These wearing. She ignores the fact that the boys may have worn Equality. London: stereotypical interpretations appeared so engrained that by hoodies because they were cold; an important point, since Commission for simply displaying elements of the Black street culture, pupils the staff interviews took place during the winter and the Racial Equality. were readily categorised as ‘anti-school’: school building was old, in need of repair and with windows DfEE (2000) that often did not shut properly. Removing the Barriers: Raising ‘… when they haven’t got all that gear on, you know, they’re Achievement Levels not an individual within a school.When you look at them Expectations for Minority Ethnic they are students and …but when you got your hat on and The uncritical staff investment in these various negative Students. London: DfEE this on, you’re individual and it’s individual behaviour and beliefs about Black subculture is such that other feasible sometimes it can be a bit threatening and, you know, like interpretations are seldom considered.This is a worrying DfES (2004) er…like what’s depicted on the TV and about the American perspective in light of the way in which many staff directly Permanent Exclusions from Maintained sort of influence and stuff. Erm, once they haven’t got their connect this street culture with an anti-school attitude.The Schools in England, Nike on, you know, their anything else, on they become more literature that offers recommendations on how to increase 2002/2003. receptive students.’ Ms H (Support staff) [emphasis added] the achievement of Black pupils lists high teacher London: DfES expectations as crucial (see, eg, Ofsted, 1999; DfEE, 2000); a DfES (2005) Ms H maintained that by removing forms of undesirable point echoed by some of the staff I interviewed. National Curriculum clothing these pupils became more ready-to-learn. It was not Assessment, GCSE ‘If you already think when a person walks into your class and Equivalent just clothing that these pupils were removing, they also were Attainment and Post- casting off her negative associations thus allowing her to feel that this person is gonna end up in the gutter then all that 16 Attainment by more relaxed. Ms H also explained to me, in some detail, how stuff about knowing your kids and learning, [about] where Pupil Characteristics they have been and getting that feeling of achievement, in England, 2004. enforcement of school uniform regulation had led to direct where you have got them to exceed that place, you know… London: DfES improvements in boys’ behaviour. She did not pause to consider the possible influence of other recent school what has been predicted for them [is] that they are gonna McLean, G. (2005) ‘In end up in the gutter ... It’s way below their actual potential the hood’,The initiatives, such as those aimed at improving pupil attendance Guardian, Friday 13 and additional academic and extra-curricular activities, which and you think you’ve done a good job, therefore you’re May. may have also contributed to change in behaviour. gonna do the same thing next year and the year after.’ Mr S Ofsted (1999) (teacher) [emphasis added] Raising the ‘… I just think sort of like the music that the kids listen to; Attainment of Yet, unless teachers are aware of some of the ways in which it doesn’t promote education and doing well. It’s all about sex Minority Ethnic they, albeit unwittingly, subscribe to the type of stereotypical Pupils: School and and drugs and that kind of thing. There’s lots of swearing beliefs that I have described here, it could be that students LEA Responses. and cussing and I think they, erm, kids even though they London: Ofsted are perceived as likely to fail simply because they buy into don’t realise it they sort of internalise that and it does come elements of Black street culture, making the notion of high Osler, A. (1999) ‘The out. In their leisure time they’re either listening to hip-hop educational expectations meaningless. experiences and and all the sort of rap and stuff that talk about all these kind career aspirations of of negative things …’ Ms T (PE Teacher) Nicola Rollock is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Policy black and ethnic Studies in Education, London Metropolitan University and is minority In Ms T’s comment, rap music loses any diversity in message undergraduates’, completing her doctorate ‘How Black pupils become Race, Ethnicity and and lyrical content, becoming ‘all about sex and drugs’ and academically successful’ at the Institute of Education. She can Education,1 (2): related debaucheries (‘that kind of thing’).All boys are be contacted at [email protected] 39–58.

18 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Developing Trust through Exploring Differences

Irena Lichnerowicz was sponsored by the British Council to job shadow for EDUCATION a week at Runnymede. Both Irena’s work with the Rainbow Bridge Project and her interest in promoting a diverse society of many cultures in Poland Irena Lichnerowicz works on the will benefit as a consequence. Rainbow Bridge Project which is With her background affording her, as finally, discover something of their identity, the more characteristics in carried out by the she agrees, a relatively limited core identity. common are revealed. ‘Communication experience of multi-ethnic work The Polish trainers and The RBP model of intercultural without Barriers’ environments, associated social policy psychotherapists involved in the RBP education, based on exploring Foundation. For information about research and policy-making, Irena have developed structured workshop differences – seeing different the RBP you can Lichnerowicz spent a week sessions which could also be used to viewpoints, ideas and beliefs as the contact her at: shadowing Runnymede’s director, help support the wider curriculum of starting point from which to reach ilichnero@prezyde Michelynn Laflèche. Her aim was to inclusive education, and common ground – stems from a nt.pl and search expand her thinking in relation to her psychotherapists have proved strong belief that through the for information role – one of many – as coordinator particularly skilful as practitioners at interaction of differences it is possible about the of the international Rainbow Bridge using the concepts of trust and core to arrive at new solutions and Foundation on its Project (RBP,subtitled Unity in identity in promoting equality. principles for action which are based website: Diversity), which aims to promote Poland is much less diverse than on human dignity, equality and www.j.kwasnieska. tolerance and mutual understanding the UK in terms of ethnicity, but the respect for human rights. aid.org.pl among young people, regardless of Rainbow Bridge experience Irena’s experience at Runnymede nationality, ethnicity or religion. nevertheless has something important has only reinforced her vision of the Organised by the ‘Communication to contribute to the creation of a necessity to advocate and emphasise without barriers’ Foundation of Mrs more inclusive Europe, still so the principles of equality in schools, Jolanta Kwa´sniewska, the First Lady of culturally diverse.The deeper we all and to promote inclusive education Poland, the RBP was created by Mrs go in discovering our own personal generally. Kwa´sniewska to help young people from different countries to develop mutual understanding and resolve Observations from RBP Workshops on Trust differences without recourse to Workshop facilitators must create a feeling of safety and trust violence. Its aim is to demonstrate, which will allow young people to express their feelings and through intercultural education, how emotions. Many of the participants in these groups will have human diversity can be embraced very concrete reasons to be wary of others. Recent rather than become a basis for conflict. experiences might have made them cautious in expressing Intercultural education sits at the themselves. In order to talk about such experiences it is important to establish heart of the Rainbow Bridge precise rules and formulate a ‘group contract’ to support group safety and trust: Project’s programme of international Negotiating the contract requires the facilitator not only to provide appropriate feedback summer camps for young people. but ensure that participants do not judge each other and do not attempt to turn the session One aspect of how it is supported into a competition of who trusts whom more.This type of session should also sensitise within the project is by means of a participants to the fact that others may experience the same situation differently. psychological programme, which aims The main issue throughout for the facilitator and the group should be that they are indeed to help participants familiarise ready to share more information with each other and disclose deeper feelings and emotions. themselves with the value of trust, in Exercises to promote trust are conducted in pairs or in larger groups, and lead naturally to a groups and in one-to-one situations. group debriefing on the need for trust, obstacles to achieving trust, and what can destroy it. From experiencing a position of self- Sessions on trust are designed to create the possibility of building more trust between trust, reinforced by developing trust participants for the sake of future sessions (most of all on identity). No-one is forced to in others, acceptance of difference participate in the exercises: it is the trust between participants and facilitator that can lead to and diversity can be encouraged and establishing and developing trust among the members of the group. developed. By undertaking this psychological Polish psychologists Wojciech Eichelberger and Adam Haller were the main trainers at the RBP in Poland programme participants will get the (August 2001) and supervised a recent RBP event in Kirgizstan (August 2004).They believe that these chance to work through resentments, psychological sessions, together with a set of related workshops, are tools that can support a curriculum for learn co-operation, get rid of inclusive education – one which aims to create positive attitudes among groups of people with different superficial, conflicting identities and, origins and cultures.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 19 The Demands and Needs of Groups The new Labour government is already bringing its parliamentary agenda into focus with its latest version of the Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill and declarations on the definitions of ‘community’ as they will bear upon the work of the forthcoming CEHR. Here, in the more JUSTICE & rarefied but less compromised atmosphere of philosophical debate, Omar Khan looks at the RIGHTS concept of ‘group rights’, and whether, when and how group claims should be acknowledged. PART II

In a previous Bulletin,1 we explored the while the content of that right is free There are of course many ways of 1 December concept of group responsibility and speech or food. interpreting this complicated claim, 2004,‘Moral the possibility that it could provide a but it shows how the grounding of a Responsibility, defence for policies such as affirmative Rights for groups? right depends on its ability to require Justice and the action.Another important concept in The idea that rights attach to others to be under a duty. Many Group’, pp. 10–11. thinking about the claims of groups in important entities helps to explain would reject the idea that anyone can political life is the idea of ‘group both the defence and criticism of the have a right to an expensive watch, rights’.There is increasing attention to idea that groups have rights. On one and Raz’s definition points to one the demands and needs of groups, and side are those that think the reason why – any person who claimed the idea that the importance of importance of communities means such a right would have to community means that certain that groups can and should be the demonstrate that the rest of us have a practices should be defended. On the holders of certain rights. In this duty to provide them with an other hand, many reject the idea that context, history reminds us that groups expensive watch. groups can have rights, so it is have often attempted to eliminate Following his discussion of worthwhile to consider whether and others and so group rights provide an individual interests in some good or how the concept of ‘group rights’ important defence against genocide value, Raz considers our interests in makes sense. and other practices. non-individualistic goods, such as a Opposing such a view are those tolerant society or art, that seem Rights holders who think that what really matters is unable to establish a duty on others to Since rights-claims are usually the lives of human individuals. Groups provide it.The idea is that individuals perceived as placing duties on others are important, but only because couldn’t possible have a duty to for their fulfilment, many believe that individuals find living in groups to be protect any other individual’s interest we need to be circumspect in applying meaningful. Individuals could have a in a tolerant society, and this is because them – their particular strength right to speak their own language a tolerant society is a collective and demands that they should only be without harassment, but groups by not an individual good. Otherwise, my appended to entities of truly important themselves aren’t independently interest in a tolerant society would value. important enough to ground rights. seem to imply a duty in everyone else Here it is important to distinguish Otherwise, a group might insist that it to ensure that tolerance is widely between the holder and the content of has the right to police its members in affirmed. a right. a way that is contrary to the interests When we think that rights need to of certain individuals within the Raz on collective rights be appended to important entities, group, and perhaps defend or ossify Raz expands his discussion to talk what we have in mind is that the repressive practices. about collective rights.Although it is a holder of a right has to be something very difficult argument, the idea is that that matters in morality. On this Defining Rights: Raz’s account human beings have interests as model, tables or stones can’t have In order to make sense of this abstract members of a group that are ‘rights’ even if we care about the debate, we need to posit a theory of independent of their own individual comfort of our living conditions and rights. I will use Joseph Raz’s interests. Furthermore, these interests what happens to the environment.As definition because of its importance in are usually in collective or public an example of the content of the right shaping the academic debate on group goods.The idea is that living in a consider food and free speech. Many or collective rights. community is valuable to us, but that have argued that our concern for food Raz (1986) defines a right in the part of this value is its ability to or free speech at least partially derives following way: provide goods that are not divisible from their importance in allowing among individuals. So cultural individuals to live fulfilling lives, since x has a right if and only if an practices require communities of it would be odd to say that free speech aspect of x’s well-being (his interest) sufficient size and interaction in order and food have moral value is a sufficient reason for holding for their practices to continue, and independently of their value to some other person(s) to be under a thus the idea of collective rights makes humans. So the holder of a right to free duty. sense. speech or food is a human individual, To say instead that groups are only

20 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 instrumentally valuable for their group could have a right allows or requires us to treat you in consequences is, according to this independently of the interests of its this way.You may not like it, but it is argument, to neglect their prime members. If we accord rights to our right to behave in a way that is importance in allowing us to lead a groups themselves, all sorts of consonant with our group’s values.’ life that is valuable and fulfilling. It is questions arise:Who in the group There are of course good not that group membership is exercises the right? Who in the group counterarguments to these sorts of consequentially good for leading a decides which interests matter? Can claims, but the point of this example JUSTICE & good life, but rather that leading a the rights of groups outweigh is to show how the practical problems RIGHTS good life requires group membership individual interests even where the raised by group rights have inclined PART II as one of its constituent elements. group seems to have discriminatory many philosophers to seek clear and practices? What sorts of groups matter unambiguous principles for Kymlicka on group rights – only cultural ones or political ones determining the justification and 3 This seems to Will Kymlicka has been a major or artistic ones as well? If cultural content of group rights in an abstract be Brian Barry’s contributor to debates on groups matter, can the rights of such or formal way. suggestion in multiculturalism since the publication groups mean that cultures can insulate Culture and of his first book in 1989. In it, he themselves from change? Human rights and Equality. adopted an argument similar to Raz’s To see how these issues are easily universality but perhaps more understandable to muddied, for example, consider the In thinking about these questions, it non-philosophers and probably more question of what sorts of groups becomes clear that a paradigm case of applicable to real-world politics. matter. One way to interpret this rights – human rights – shapes our Kymlicka begins by accepting some question is to wonder whether group thinking about the issue. In fact, standard liberal assumptions, in rights apply only to minorities or also human rights are a particular kind of particular that individual autonomy is to majorities, especially since many of rights, with perhaps greater stringency a supreme value. Like mainstream the examples in the group rights and obviously universal application. Bibliography liberals, Kymlicka believes that it is literature take minority groups as Our duty to protect a person’s right extremely important for individuals their case studies.There are two to life is thus universal and highly Barry, Brian (2001) to be able to choose how to live their potential problems with this demanding, requiring us to make Culture and own lives, and for them to identify emphasis. sacrifices that other rights might not Equality with those choices. First, it suggests that only necessitate.The idea that other rights (Cambridge: Kymlicka’s key insight, perhaps minorities require such rights, perhaps could allow violations of human Polity) obvious to many readers, is that in implying that their practices are more rights is usually dismissed as Jones, Peter order to choose how to live one’s life, likely to violate individual rights.3 It undermining the reasons we care (1999) ‘Human there must be a number of options could be that if majorities don’t about rights in the first place. But Rights, Group actually available.And in thinking require group rights, it is because they where individuals’ interests in living Rights, and about which choices we should make, are already protected by existing in a community mean that the state Peoples’ Rights’, it is further clear that social and individual rights. But if this were true, or someone else needs to protect Human Rights cultural groups provide important if it immediately raises the possibility certain ways of life, it seems to make Quarterly 21(1): not necessary resources for making that group rights are required only sense to talk of a duty to defend 80-107. these choices. That is to say, where group practices violate collective or group rights. However, groups provide the context for individual rights. If this weren’t the the particularity of some group Kymlicka,Will choice. So groups can then have case, why would the group need practices may be both highly (1989) Liberalism, Community, and rights, but only because they are ‘protection’ at all? Again, many of the important to its members and at the Culture (Oxford: necessary for individuals to exercise examples in the literature are cases same time a violation of ordinary OUP) autonomy.The advantage of where a group is given the right to understandings of human rights. Kymlicka’s theory is that it doesn’t exempt or exclude its members from These questions raise the spectres Raz, Joseph (1986) posit any independent moral what would otherwise be considered of universalism, relativism and cultural The Morality of importance of group identity and individual rights, as when religious particularity. It is quite common to Freedom (Oxford: doesn’t seem to allow groups to minorities are allowed to remove read that human rights are merely a OUP) police their members in whatever their children from public education. western construct, derived from our way they want. The second problem is raised heritage as either a Christian or Shapiro, Ian and when we accept the idea that if group individualist society. However, it is Will Kymlicka, eds Why is the theory so rights are conceptually sound, they unclear whether such a criticism can (1997) Ethnicity and Group Rights complicated? must also apply to majorities, at appropriate the concept of ‘group (New York and For many readers, this discussion will which point serious practical rights’ without making certain London: NYU seem hopelessly abstract. Either difficulties apply. Imagine that a concessions to how the concept of Press) groups have rights or they don’t, so minority group demands a right rights has developed and what it is why have philosophers like Raz and because the majority is treating it rights are meant to protect.Those Waldron, Jeremy, Kymlicka constructed such unfairly.Then consider a possible (if who reject human rights as ‘western’ ed. (1984) complicated arguments? One answer ugly) majority reply:‘we too have would, under these circumstances, Theories of Rights is that it seems implausible that any group rights. Our group practice need to avail themselves of defences (Oxford: OUP)

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 21 for groups based on concepts other should have the right to wear what support them.To take a hypothetical than rights. they choose, and there is no need to example, if the only way to sustain a appeal to the idea of ‘group’ rights. particular group is for it to prevent Current examples Proponents of group rights might members from exiting the group and One way of grounding this discussion disagree, insisting that the problem is place serious restrictions on their is to turn to current issues in political that the Muslim community is not opportunities, it is difficult to see how JUSTICE & life where the claims of groups seem to afforded the protections it requires in anyone could have a duty to defend RIGHTS matter. Some have argued that laws western society. But, as explained such practices.The content of group PART II protecting religious belief are required above, such a defence may not solve interests will always be relevant if in order to safeguard the existence or the problem, because if group rights others are duty-bound to respect the flourishing of minority religious matter, majorities could potentially rights of groups. Omar Khan is groups. But this example also indicates demand the right to determine how On most views of rights,‘human working on his why more individually minded individuals appear in public. One way rights’ have a certain priority not PhD at St commentators find the idea of group to resolve this problem is to insist that because of their historical Antony’s rights potentially harmful. If it becomes certain claims are simply not development in the West but because College, illegal to make statements that are admissible as rights claims, but such the importance of living a good or Oxford perceived as insulting to a particular universal responses further imply that even minimally decent life is assumed religious community, it seems that the we can reach consensus on what is or to ground strong duties in others. individual right to freedom of speech is not a right.And that seems precisely Absent the protections offered by or conscience is violated. what is at stake. rights, it seems hard to imagine that Another example might be that of we could live the sorts of lives we find the headscarf. In France it is now Conclusion meaningful and fulfilling. Insofar as illegal for schoolchildren to wear the Whichever view one adopts, it is clear group-belonging provides the scarf in schools, but a recent case in that there are limitations on the idea background for meaningful living, we Britain concluded that schools could of rights.The importance of duties in will have duties to ensure that some not prevent girls from wearing the realising rights means that certain group interests are protected. But hijab.There are (at least) two different group-based claims will always seem whether we can sacrifice the ways of understanding how the idea untranslatable into the language of importance of human rights in order of ‘rights’ can allow girls to wear the rights.We may legitimately object to to protect group interests is the heart hjiab. For individualists, freedom of the idea that certain group practices of the dilemma in thinking about conscience means that everyone are sufficient to give us reasons to group rights.

Equalities – a Bill, a Review and an Act

The Government has defined the three elements of Reference Group members are confirmed as: its major review of equality work programmes as: 1. Reform equality institutions – by establishing the Co-chairs: CEHR (Commission for Equality and Human Bert Massie (Chair DRC) and Jenny Watson (Deputy Chair, EOC) Rights) in the Equality Bill Members: 2. Conduct an Equalities Review – chaired by Trevor Stephen Alambritis (Federation of Small Businesses) Phillips – seeking to deepen government’s Amanda Ariss (EOC) understanding of, and make recommendations to Mohammed Aziz (Faithwise) tackle, the root causes of inequality. Neil Bentley (CBI) Jane Campbell (Social Care Institute for Excellence) 3. Which will feed into the third element, where Karen Chouhan (1990 Trust) government is seeking to reform the legal Caroline Gooding (DRC) framework through a single Equality Act following Lucy de Groot (Improvement and Development Agency) the Discrimination Law Review (DLR). Ali Jarvis (CRE Scotland) Francesca Klug (LSE) Gordon Lishman (Age Concern England) Terms of reference for the DLR, terms of reference Carey Oppenheim (Policy Consultant) and membership of the expert Reference Group that Sandy Pitcher (CRE) will advise both the Equalities Review and the DLR, Katherine Rake (Fawcett Society) and a Summary of the role of each element of the Sarah Spencer (Equality and Diversity Forum) work programme and the links between them were Hanne Stinson (British Humanist Association) Ben Summerskill (Stonewall) all made public on 13 June.Their texts can be found, Sarah Veale (TUC) for the moment, on the website of the Equality and Stephen Whittle (Press for Change) Diversity Forum (www.edf.org.uk) and/or on the Carolyne Willow (Children’s Rights Alliance of England) website of the Department for Trade and Industry Richard Zipfel (Roman Catholic Bishops Conference) (www.dti.gov.uk). Wales Rep to be confirmed

22 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 A Unique Window on European Challenges to Discrimination

European Anti-Discrimination Law Review Issue no. 1 April 2005 REVIEWS The European Network of Legal Experts in the Non-discrimination Field For Diversity Against Discrimination – an initiative of the EU ISBN: 2-930399-14-7 Copies can be obtained from the European The first issue of the European Anti-Discrimination Law Directive requires Commission, DG Review (EADLR) was published in April 2005. Its subtitle such bodies to be Employment, ‘Legal Bulletin’ gives a clearer indication of its contents. established to Social Affairs and Unlike the law reviews that line the shelves of lawyers’ provide independent Equal offices, the EADLR is not aimed only at lawyers and advice and assistance to victims of Opportunities, judges; it should also be read by politicians and legislators, discrimination, to conduct independent surveys and to Rue de la Loi 200, campaigners, trades unions and the many and varied publish independent reports.The authors identify three 1049 Brussels, NGOs across the EU and the accession states that are aspects of independence: Belgium concerned with equality and human rights. • Legal authority to carry out functions free from state The contributors are drawn from the Network of interference; independent of the executive functions of Legal Experts, a group brought together to report on government; developments in Member States in their transposition and • Neutrality; not overly influenced or seen as the voice implementation of the EU Directives covering of particular interests; discrimination on grounds of race, age, disability, religion • Capacity to work independently – in no or belief and sexual orientation. circumstances are outputs subject to government The EADLR also differs from other law reviews in approval. that it is a very attractive publication.The front and back In Britain the independence of an equality body is an covers and nine further pages inside contain expressive extremely timely issue. The Equality Bill now before photographic images, and the reader is invited to ‘meet Parliament will establish a Commission for Equality and ordinary people …facing discrimination’.The unique Human Rights; this article offers useful guidelines to assess format (23 cm x 23 cm) of the EADLR will keep it from what the relationship of the new body to government being overlooked, but may make it more awkward to fit should be and whether the Bill gives it sufficient onto a bookshelf. independence. The aim of the European Commission in supporting The updates from European institutions are useful and the EADLR, and of the contributors, is to enable lawyers, include website references so readers can get fuller policymakers and NGOs across the EU to learn from each information. other’s experience. It offers easy access to current law and Possibly most interesting is the section including ‘news policies in different member states as well as some of the from the EU Member States’. Some of the news is the legal and political struggles that have taken place. adoption of legislation to comply with the directives or, The EADLR is divided into three sections: short often, to go further. Other states report cases decided by articles; updates from the EU, the European Court of national courts or considered by specialised bodies. Many Justice and the European Court of Human Rights; and raise issues that have not been widely discussed in the UK ‘news’ from the Member States. or that have been resolved quite differently by parliament The first section includes an introduction to the or the courts. For example: Network of Legal Experts and two articles that raise issues • The Netherlands Equal Treatment Commission (a that are highly relevant in the UK today. Christopher quasi-judicial body whose decisions are not binding) McCrudden identifies two risks associated with relying on found that an employer’s special provisions for older Reviewed by the EU Directives as models for the development of anti- employees – gradual reduction of working hours and Barbara discrimination policy and measures: false consistency, allocation of extra holidays to older workers – fell Cohen, who since equality can have different meanings in relation to outside the national law on age discrimination. provides the different protected grounds; and treating the provisions • Under the November 2004 Maltese anti- specialist UK in the Directives as not only necessary but sufficient for discrimination regulations an employer shall be information to effective equality rights. McCrudden poses questions that deemed to have discriminated if they fail to suppress the EADLR must form part of the reviews of equality and anti- any form of harassment in the workplace or within and is, among discrimination laws currently under way in Britain. their organisation; and all employers must bring the many other The second article, by Janet Cormack and Jan Niessen, provisions of the regulations to the attention of their activities, a reviews what ‘independence’ means for specialised bodies employees and anyone else who may be affected by Runnymede like the Commission for Racial Equality.The EU Race their actions. Tr ustee

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 23 • the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia (the prison sentence and ordered him to pay 1500 EUR upper house of the parliament) has recommended the damages to the purchaser and 500 EUR to his wife!! Government of Slovenia to prepare proposals for Significantly, the court also ordered publication of the legislation, and to assure increased, targeted funding to conviction in the professional bulletin of estate agents improve the position of Roma. and awarded damages to the two NGOs that had •Meanwhile, in Slovakia the Government is bringing supported the victim. REVIEWS proceedings in the Constitutional Court to challenge • Conflicts associated with religion appear to be the constitutionality of the positive action provision in widespread.There are reports from several member the Slovak Anti-discrimination Act adopted in May states of cases concerning restrictions by the state on 2004.The Government is arguing that the lack of legal the display of religious symbols or restrictions by definitions – the conditions under which positive religious organisations on participation by action measures may be adopted, the meaning of homosexuals, with different outcomes. ‘equality in practice’, and who is empowered to adopt In its 71 pages, this first issue of the EADLR has much to positive action measures – contradicts the principle of offer UK readers who want to engage in the current the rule of law. debates on equality and anti-discrimination legislation. It • In France, where criminal sanctions are used in cases provides a unique window onto the different approaches – of discrimination, a landowner was convicted of racial social, political and legal – being tried across Europe to discrimination for refusing to sell a piece of land to an challenge discrimination. It is right to be optimistic that ‘Arab’ purchaser.The court fined the landowner the next issue, in six months’ time, will be equally 10,000 EUR, gave him a four-month suspended interesting and informative. Naming Norms

European Civic Citizenship and Inclusion Index Researched by Andrew Geddes and Jan Niessen, with Alex Balch, Claire Bullen and María José Peiro. Compiled by Laura Citron and Richard Gowan Collaborative partners: British Council, The Foreign Policy Centre, Migration Policy Group, Barrow Cadbury Trust, The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust Published by the British Council Brussels, 2005 [www.britishcouncil.org/brussels-europe-inclusion-index.htm]

The Index ‘contributes to a complex area by equal societies, a fully functioning European Union will providing simple, accurate, accessible information. require these variations to be ironed out. The results highlight the diversity of practice on In order to draw comparisons between 15 of the inclusion policy within the EU, rather than pointing out Member States (new members are too new to figure yet) “winners” or “losers”.We give the facts.You make your what the Index does is set out a formulation of inclusion own conclusions’ – says Lord Kinnock of Bedwellty, based on labour market inclusion and civic citizenship.To Chair, British Council. facilitate immigrant inclusion, access to the labour market is not enough by itself. The other four policy areas that ‘The Index does not represent, therefore, governmental can create favourable conditions for civic citizenship over views and is not motivated by any intention to “name and the long term are defined as: long-term residence; family shame” countries.’ reunion; naturalisation; and anti-discrimination. Country by country, tables and charts compare The aim is, rather – by providing transparently comparative employment trend indicators with EU averages. information – to create an atmosphere of positive Comparative performances against the five policy competition in which Member States can compare and indicators are also provided. Preliminary to the tabular review ‘areas of relative strength and weakness’. sections, the authors explain how the Index’s normative The background to the compilation of this framework was built up from almost 100 indicators comprehensive index of EU Member States’ widely developed within the policy strands.They also set out a varying approaches to questions of migration and civic brief chronology of how migration policy in the EU has citizenship springs from how readily, over the past 5 years, progressed via the Treaties, Directives and Declarations EU members have made progress in the creation of signed by EU Member States from the Treaty of Rome in common policies on justice and home affairs. However, 1957 to the Hague Summit of 2004. despite a series of common commitments by all member- What effect the failure to ratify the EU Constitution states to move towards common standards in migration will have on the Commission’s role in promoting new and civic citizenship, considerable variation persists in the legislation supportive of civic citizenship remains to be areas of economic migration, family migration and social seen – and covered by the next issue of the Index perhaps. inclusion. In the meantime, this volume will be officially launched at Aside from the moral desirability of achieving more a British Council event in September.

24 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Shifting Formations of Citizenship

Intolerant Britain? Hate, Citizenship and Difference Derek McGhee Maidenhead, Berks: Open University Press, McGraw-Hill Education (2005) Pp. x + 234. £19.99 (pbk) ISBN: 0335216749 REVIEWS

Recent years have seen the debates around citizenship, issues, from the expansion of This review belonging and cultural difference placed again at the race hate crime legislation to note, of a centre of political, policy, media and academic concerns. homophobic crime and the book only just The reinvigoration of demands from the Home Office, attempts to legislate faith-hate, published and the CRE, for a citizenship based on ‘shared norms and from the discourses of (April 2005), is and values’ of Britishness has led some to proclaim ‘the ‘community cohesion’ and by Claire death of multiculturalism’.At the same time, the claims of sexual citizenship to the ‘dark side’ of contemporary Alexander, citizenship have opened up space for the demand for the formations of citizenship expressed by Islamophobia and Department protection of the rights of individuals and communities ‘asylophobia’. of Sociology, across a range of different arenas – race and ethnicity, Drawing on a wide range of academic work, legal and London religion, sexuality, Human Rights. It is this tension – policy documents, the book provides a clearly written, School of between emerging forms of intolerance, citizenship, and its thoughtful and informative text that should be of interest Economics, legislation – that McGhee’s new book Intolerant Britain? to researchers, policymakers and students alike. In bringing who has Hate Citizenship and Difference appraises. together these seemingly disparate, but highly relevant, recently The book, as its title suggests, is an exploration of the concerns, McGhee provides an innovative and complex become a shifting formations of hate and difference in contemporary account of the challenges facing contemporary British Runnymede Britain. It examines a range of controversial contemporary citizenship. Tr ustee A Primer of Sorts

Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship Published on behalf of the Home Office’s Life in the United Kingdom Advisory Group Norwich: The Stationery Office, 2004 £9.99; 146pp.; ISBN 011 341402 5

‘Becoming a British citizen is a significant life event.The English.1 Even assuming that the book will government intends to make gaining British citizenship be used mainly by those preparing meaningful and celebratory rather than a simply a applicants for their citizenship tests, the bureaucratic process’ onus is placed on them to supply the visual – David Blunkett, Home Secretary (9 September 2002, input.A looseleaf publication that could be updated quoted in the Preface to this publication) piecemeal when required would have served such a purpose much better. The intention is good.The idea emphatic. But is this good There is no pictorial reference to the Houses of intention reflected in this Home Office publication? A Parliament, Big Ben or any of the those noteworthy perusal of the UK Advisory Group’s handbook on signposts that evoke an instant connection with the words citizenship – Life in the United Kingdom;A Journey to ‘United Kingdom’. Citizenship – reflects rather the opposite of any such good The national anthem(s) – supposedly the very intention. embodiment of patriotism and nationhood for every citizen As a first glimpse of the cultural, societal and historical of a country – finds no mention. Devolved administrations 1 For the sake of richness that defines Great Britain, this compilation are covered, but not the essence of what it might mean to comparison, visit disappoints on several counts, and a bureaucratic tenor find yourself living in a Scottish,Welsh or Irish town rather some US characterises what needs to be a significant document for than an English one.There isn’t even a map of the UK.And citizenship pages any new citizen preparing for life in the UK. while there are some rather interesting sections on the at: http://uscis. Examples abound – presentation, for a start.The history of the nation, the book denies itself a single portrait gov/graphics/ handbook has been designed in a staid monotonous style, of some of the leaders who shaped its destiny. citizenship/Officeof with absolutely no use of simple identificatory illustrations, In short, any of the symbolism that continues to Citizenship.pdf photographs or graphics that would make visual recognition represent the grander dimensions of a secular, democratic http://uscis.gov/ of symbols, emblems, landmarks, street signs any easier for nation such as the UK seems to have been well and truly graphics/citizenship the reader who is almost by definition not a fluent reader of lost. /focusgroup.pdf

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 25 The section of the handbook that deals with Travel and British migrants being granted citizenship, the bulk of whom Transport is littered with dos and don’ts when it comes to come from developing nations where the status of women in driving a vehicle in this country. It has details on how to society is nowhere near as high as in Britain. apply for a provisional license and elaborates on the rules Equally rewarding is the detail about young people.The surrounding an overseas licence, motor insurance and road handbook tells us that in the 2001 general election, only one tax. However, missing the wood for the trees, the authors in five potential first-time voters actually cast their vote, REVIEWS have neglected to highlight the very basic piece of reflecting great concern over young people’s declining information that Britain is one of the few developed nations interest in the UK’s democratic process. In fact, a survey of in the world where vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the attitudes of young people in England and Wales in 2003 Reviewed by the road. also revealed that crime, drugs, war/terrorism, racism and Vinay Menon, Catalogued under ‘Sources of Help and Information’ is a health were the five most important issues they felt Britain a Hansard useful depiction of library services, helpline numbers, and faced today. Scholar and everyday contacts for a new citizen in order to make the But what’s remarkably encouraging is that when the same visiting process of integration as seamless as possible. But, in keeping survey asked young people about their participation in researcher at with the style maintained in other chapters, this section too political and community events, the result was that a Runnymede in is largely shorn of detail.What about a list of the prominent whopping 86% of the youth in Britain had taken part in early 2005 libraries (along with addresses and telephone numbers), some form of community activity over the past year, and important hospitals and departmental stores in some of the 50% had taken part in fund-raising or collecting money for This book can major cities in the UK? All of which could be envisaged had charity. It’s a feel-good statistic few nations could boast of. be ordered they gone for an updatable, renewable format. Next, move along to the chapter that deals with from the The ultimate gaffe, however, is reserved for the population statistics, culled from the national census of 2001. Stationery Conservative Party. In a paragraph on ‘The Thatcher Era’,the While it reveals that the largest ethnic minority in Britain are Office, PO document states:‘The conservatives won the general election people of Indian descent, Hindus do not constitute the Box 29, of 1979 and stayed out of office [sic] until 1997’. Just when largest religious minority. Muslims make up 3% of the Norwich NR3 do you start disbelieving the other information too? religious population, followed by Hindus at 1%: a very 1GN [fax: In this its first incarnation, the handbook falls short of interesting detail for anyone studying the pattern of 0870 600 several of the standards the government might well have set migration from countries such as Pakistan and India to the 5533; email: for itself. But all is not lost. It does contain some remarkably UK book.orders@ honest content on the demographic denominations that All in all, this handbook contains the genesis of a great tso.co.uk] shape modern-day British society. In ‘A changing society’, for idea – a primer of sorts on what is arguably one of the instance, it unravels the fascinating statistic that ‘Women in biggest cultural and social melting-pots in the developed Britain make up 51% of the population and 45% of the world. If only the execution of the idea hadn’t been so workforce’.This should be an eye-opener for many new mediocre.

Members Only? An A5 handbook that presents the Hansard Society’s case for a Parliament in the Public Eye renewal of British parliamentary life.Thirty-nine recommendations Report of the Hansard Society Commission are discussed under the broad headings of: essentials of modern on the Communication of Parliamentary democracy communications; elements of a communication strategy; media Chaired by David Puttnam coverage of Parliament; how Parliament runs itself. ISBN: 0 900432 77 2 Available now from the Hansard Society, 9 Kingsway, London WC2B 6XF

JRF Findings Reports 2. Dispersed refugees seeking asylum This ‘Findings’ report describes a project that pursued ‘a better understanding of the 1.Young Bangladeshis – lives in transition impact of forced dispersal of refugee people seeking asylum and the relationships Research by Mairtin Mac an Ghaill and Chris Haywood of between communities in these areas’. Newcastle University provides an insight into young Working with groups in the urban northwest of England, this project explored Bangladeshi people’s experience of growing up in Newcastle, whether shared activities helped people to get to know others from different and compares their experiences with those of young white communities, and how well. Community development workers, volunteers and workers people making the transition to adulthood. in arts services have been instrumental in setting up and running community networks Young Bangladeshis encountered stereotyping in more than in Manchester and Salford.The research team included members of the different one context, this report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation cultural groups involved and interviews were conducted in a variety of languages. records.The researchers report that the combination of In the midst of shared activities and the breaking down of communication barriers, relatively recent migration, poverty, under-achievement at for many of the people interviewed their notion of community cohesion, of ‘getting on school, radicalisation and gender stereotyping result in social well with others’, can be defined at a very basic level as it has all too often grown out exclusion and, inevitably, limited prospects for a successful of experiences of racism and discrimination. Feelings of being very little in control of future. If white institutional figures reinforce the existing their own lives – where they can live, whether and how they can work – militate limitations by working with stereotypically conflicted images of against their experiencing the possibility of equal life opportunities for everyone, and young Asians, the gap between parents’ high expectations and other government indicators of community cohesion. Policies leading to destitution are teachers’ low expectations of school achievement can only grow the ultimate form of exclusion from society and work directly against the community for these young people. cohesion agenda. (see opposite for availability)

26 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Transitions to training and re-training. On issues of housing, family, education, training, and so on, local authorities adulthood for young need to work together with other agencies like schools and careers services, and employ staff from people from ethnic Turkish backgrounds. REPORTS Stephen Twigg MP spoke about the increasing diversity of school minority groups populations, and the value of the This report is ‘Aiming High’ programme, which by Filiz Caran, Young Turks and Kurds by Pinar dominant an identifier as say for the develops guidance and good practice Runnymede Enneli,Tariq Modood and Harriet Pakistani community. by, for example, working with Bradley draws on a study of three Dr Pinar Enneli, co-author, said families in their own language. He disadvantaged groups of young that there were officially 3 million also praised specialist programmes Turkish Kurds,Turks or Turkish Turkish-speaking people in the EU, for training bilingual teaching Cypriots, and Bangladeshis in 60,000 of them in London.Turks, assistants, going on to talk about Haringey – an economically Kurds and Turkish Cypriots have how some London schools in deprived area of London with a followed different migration particular were improving standards multi-ethnic population – and patterns in different decades.Turkish by teaching bilingual science and considers how they experience the Cypriots migrated between 1945 Turkish as a modern foreign language transition from youth to adulthood. and 1955 due to civil unrest in for all pupils, and working well with It compares the experiences of the Cyprus.Turks migrated in the 1960s the community. different Turkish groups, about and 1970s, with the father moving But the Turkish-speaking whom very little is known; and in first, finding work, then bringing communities are not always large demonstrating the inadequacy of a the family over in the early 1970s. enough – too small, too local – to ‘white/non-white’ model of In the 1980s and 1990s Kurds attract much beyond short-term ethnicity, outlines some of the arrived as asylum-seekers. funding for projects, and several complexities of urban ethnic Most pupils interviewed for the speakers spoke of the drawbacks that identities today. report had spoken negatively about came from the failure to take a At the launch of the report on school.They noted high levels of longer perspective to enable early 16 February, the Chair Mehmet Ali truancy, lack of interest in pupils’ success to become embedded. Dikerdem said the research for the problems from the teachers, and a report was carried out in Haringey third had experienced because it contains ‘the densest discrimination in various ways from Joseph Rowntree Foundation Publications: population of Turkish-speaking other pupils, especially other communities in Western Europe’. minority ethnic pupils. Young Turks and Kurds:A Study of ‘Invisible’ Tar iq Modood said that the Relationships with the labour Disadvantaged Groups by Pinar Enneli,Tariq report, while not being comprehensive, market were often as part of a Modood and Harriet Bradley is available now was indicative, and it focused on Turkish micro-economy, family- as a paperback report, priced £14.95, from Turks because they are invisible but owned businesses, employing their still face racial discrimination – ‘they children and other Turks, and York Publishing Services (see below), or as a are clearly white, but also non- serving the Turkish communities. free pdf download from white’.They are as disadvantaged as Prof Harriet Bradley, co-author, http://www.jrf.org.uk/bookshop/details.asp?pu Bangladeshis in terms of low said that the young people were bID=664. educational achievement, poor optimistic about the future despite The full JRF reports Young Bangladeshi employment opportunities and their low levels of educational people’s experience of transition to adulthood (ISBN social disadvantage, and as a group attainment.They don’t want to 1 85935 271 5 £13.95) and Learning to Live they are missing from policy continue in family businesses but Together: Developing communities with dispersed initiatives because of their move into British firms. For some refugee people seeking asylum, by Temple and invisibility. the family can become a trap: when Moran (ISBN 1 85935 286 3, £13.95) are The young people are ambivalent housing is so expensive, they can both available from York Publishing Services about their identity and are find it difficult to leave home for Ltd, 64 Hallfield Road, Layerthorpe,York reluctant to declare themselves independent living.They would like British, while the majority of Kurds to move outside the UK, but not YO31 7ZQ [tel: 01904 430033; email: refuse to be classified as Turkish. necessarily back to Turkey. [email protected]], as are the printed summaries. With their multiple identities, they A policy initiative arising from this don’t feel part of the broader report would be to broaden minds These and other report summaries can also be Muslim community:‘being Muslim about opportunities outside downloaded free from: www.jrf.org.uk is part of being Turkish’, but not as London, and the importance of

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 27 CONTENTS A CPS Audit of Communities’

Democracy & Representation: Concerns and Priorities Labour’s third win leaves Commons’ 1 ethnic mix unchanged Omar Khan The Crown Prosecution Service how prosecution policy impacts in Rural Matters: (CPS) has just published, in May practice, the handling of hate Open Access 5 Kye Askins 2005, what it terms a ‘community crimes within CPS and the wider REPORT Experiences of a New Rural REC 9 audit’, in which it summarises the CJS, and the continued under- Basheer Ahmed outcomes of a new sequence of reporting of hate crimes. Notes on Exclusion and Immigration 11 community engagement Outcomes for all seven group

Cumbrian Attitudes 12 meetings. meetings are effectively Kieran Barr, Patricia Bell Within the 32 pages of summarised in this audit document and Mohammed Dhalech this document the CPS – with key concerns raised and Identity & Education: The Core of Britishness 15 makes strong statements responses from CPS clearly Caroline Knowles of its intent to be a tabulated, and areas for further Dressed to Fail? 17 ‘world-class prosecuting action or exploration highlighted at Black male students and academic success service’, and of seeing the end of each section. Summary Nicola Rollock ‘community engagement points from the BME group Developing Trust through 19 and working in meeting include: Exploring Differences partnership with • Explore meetings/forum with Irena Lichnerowicz communities’ as practioners/advocacy Justice & Rights II: The Demands and Needs of Groups 20 ‘fundamental’ in organisations on racially and Omar Khan achieving that vision,‘with equality religiously aggravated crime Equalities Review Note 22 at the core of all our work’. In • Improve victim and witness

Reviews & Reports: support of the stated intent, this care A Unique Window on European 23 publication offers a model of how • Improve on the under- Challenges to Discrimination Runnymede to go about conducting a reporting of racially and Barbara Cohen Team: Naming Norms 24 consultation exercise, and report on religiously aggravated crime in Michelynn it with a reasonable degree of areas such as the South West Shifting Formations of Citizenship 25 Laflèche transparency. • Hold local meetings like these Claire Alexander Director A Primer of Sorts 25 Organised by the CPS’s Equality • Learn from decisions/cases Vinay Menon Robert and Diversity Unit, meetings were through ‘lessons learned’ Transitions to Adulthood for 27 Berkeley held from June to September 2004 exercises Young People from Ethnic Deputy Director with representatives of the • Consider the possibility of Minority Groups Filiz Caran Filiz Caran following seven groups: Faith; victims’ representatives or A CPS Audit of Communities’ 28 Projects Officer BME;Women; Muslim Community advocacy agencies making Concerns and Priorities Organisations and Representatives; representation on the impact of Sarah Isal Secular/ Humanist; Lesbian, Gay, an offence Bulletin No. 342, June 2005 Senior Research Bi-sexual and Transgender; •Formulate equalities indicators ISSN 1476-363X and Policy Analyst Disabled people. to scrutinise performance on Omar Khan All groups were concerned hate crime In 2005,The Bulletin, Runnymede’s Policy Researcher about consultation in the Criminal • Register the need for a Quarterly newsletter,will be (Consulting) Justice System and about communications strategy so appropriate treatment for members that CPS increases its visibility published in the months of March, Ros Spry June, September and December by: of their community, stating that in local communities Publications ‘community engagement should be Agreed actions are being pursued The Runnymede Trust Editor The London Fruit & Wool Exchange an integral part of “the day job” and various communities have Suite 106, Brushfield Street, Debbie and not an extra task’. People also since been invited to partake in London E1 6EP Bernard needed evidence that CPS ‘is further specific initiatives, including Tel: 020 7377 9222 Fax: 020 7377 6622 Real Histories effectively delivering justice with consultation on CPS’s new equality Email: [email protected] Directory Url: www.runnymedetrust.org absolute fairness, in ways that meet and diversity policy, their Race Kings Mill the needs of all communities’. And Equality Scheme and their work Annual subscription in 2005 is £28.00 Partnership all groups are still concerned about on domestic violence. Accountancy Services The Runnymede logo was 1 CPS (2005) An Audit of Communities’ Concerns and Priorities. Director of Public designed by Four IV Design Prosecutions and Chief Executive’s Community Engagement Meetings. London: Crown Consultants. Other design elements were originated Prosecution Service. by Four IV and developed by St. Richards Press. 2 Notes of each meeting’s detailed discussions are available separately from the Equality and Diversity Unit [[email protected]; tell: 020 7710 6002]; Typeset and printed by: St Richards Press Ltd. or see CPS publications online at www.cps.gov.uk; or email: [email protected] Leigh Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 2TU. 28 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Tel: 01243 782988 Copyright © 2005 Runnymede Trust and individual authors. The opinions expressed by individual authors do not necessarily represent the views of the Runnymede Trust.