No. 335

SEPTEMBER Bulletin 2003 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY

Celebrating Jim Rose’s Life and Legacy

In 1968, when Jim Rose and Anthony Lester co-founded the Runnymede Trust, it was ‘to counter racist propaganda and to develop programmes for an increasingly diverse society’. From then until his death in 1999, Jim Rose’s contribution and devotion to those objectives was unwavering and unbroken.

The tributes paid to him at that Racial Equality Studies it will be a time – by Nicholas Deakin, Sir lasting tribute to his energy and Adrian Cadbury, Dipak Nandy dedication to the shared ideals of (Runnymede’s first Director), Lord equality and diversity. Parekh, and Lord Lester (who Professor Heidi Safia Mirza’s gives the keynote address on 15 department at Middlesex October at the Jim Rose Lecture University is ‘committed to hosted by the British Council) – developing as a centre of focus on his clear-headedness and excellence in the field of British ‘gift for resolving differences of race relations’, and the view’; his ability to combine Runnymede Collection ‘shrewdly conducted business and ‘complements other historical and sheer enjoyment’; to be not just a uniquely specialist collections held demonstrating progress made so Eliot Joseph Benn ‘distinguished people manager’, a by Middlesex University’.The far in the preservation, promotion (Jim) Rose, CBE ‘true liberal in the tradition of Centre has taken on this task of and use of the Collection, and (1909Ð1999), John Stuart Mill’ and a ‘gentle restoring order and accessibility presenting plans for its future as photographed in enlightened man’ but also a to the contents of the gateway to a range of other 1963 by Jane Bown ‘uniquely generous human being’. Runnymede Library – an archive academic collections on themes We will be remembering and of books, periodicals, reports and relevant to researching racism in celebrating all these attributes and press cuttings in excess of 6000 all its social and political more at the Jim Rose Lecture on items – with generous support manifestations. 15 October. from Middlesex University, the This year’s Jim Rose Lecture The Runnymede library Heritage Lotteries Fund and the celebrates not only the life of benefited enormously from Jim Pilgrim Trust. Runnymede’s founder, but Rose’s personal generosity as he At the Jim Rose Lecture provides an opportunity to donated many of his own books evening the Runnymede sample what the Middlesex to its shelves. In its new home at Collection at Middlesex University University collections will soon be Middlesex University’s Centre for will be launching its website, able to offer. ❑

ISSN: 1476-363X RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 1 and encourage individuals to take Regulation, inspection responsibility at all levels in an organisation. Successfully and race equality implemented reviews of this type are far from form-filling and lip- service – and form-filling and lip- RRAA 2000 In October, Runnymede publishes a collection of service are simply unacceptable in perspectives on regulation and inspection for race equality meeting the challenging agenda for race equality that is necessary for as part of its Guardians of Race Equality project. Here Rob the long-term health of a successful Berkeley reflects on the role of regulators and inspectors, multi-ethnic society.

and some of the opportunities and challenges they Intelligent Accountability encounter in ensuring public authorities fulfil their duty to Onora O’Neill argues in a different promote race equality. context for ‘intelligent accountability’ rather than an accountability that The quest for a major challenges and opportunities deprofessionalises, and destroys the successful multi-ethnic that face inspectors and regulators confidence of, and in, practitioners. society is defined by our are discussed ability to understand what If we want greater changes we need to make in Self Regulation accountability without damaging Rob Berkeley order to create a society in which all ‘Race’ and racisms are very powerful professional performance we citizens can share a sense of social constructs, the result of need intelligent accountability. . . belonging, in which an effective complex histories, constantly Intelligent accountability, I balance between cohesion, equality reproduced and redefined and vital suspect, requires more attention and difference can be struck. to our understanding of late to good governance and fewer Our public authorities are key modern societies. Any response to fantasies about total control. actors in supporting the creation of building trust in public institutions Good governance is possible a sense of belonging. Building trust around race equality needs to only if institutions are allowed in these authorities therefore recognise the embeddedness of some margin for self- becomes a significant act in ‘race’ and its complexity.To this end, governance of a form developing the kind of society for an approach to race equality that appropriate to their particular which we strive, a society ‘at ease does not lead to fundamental tasks, within a framework of with itself’. A key means of building change and shifting of world-views financial and other reporting. trust in public authorities with will not be strong enough. Change Such reporting, I believe, is not minority ethnic communities is to cannot be merely cosmetic.To improved by being wholly respond to institutional racism by reduce the opportunity that the standardised or relentlessly working to eliminate it, and also to RRAA presents to that of a ‘tick- detailed, and since much that work to actively promote equality of box’ exercise would be a terrible has to be accounted for is not opportunity and good relations waste. Regulation and inspection easily measured it cannot be between different ethnic groups.The need to be developed in such a boiled down to a set of stock public also needs to know that this manner as to offer support to performance indicators.Those work is happening and that public authorities to engage with the who are called to account organisations are employing their elimination of institutional racism in should give an account of what best efforts to ensure that they play more than a cursory fashion. they have done and of their their full role in this field. The report of the Commission successes or failures to others For this reason, the Race on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain who have sufficient time and Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 is presented a model which started experience to assess the powerful, innovative, and crucial with organisational self-review at its evidence and report on it. Real ‘To reduce the legislation.The successful base and built a regulatory accountability provides opportunity implementation of the legislation is framework which supported and substantive and knowledgeable that the now the key challenge.With the developed this approach (see p.269 independent judgement of an RRAA imperative of building trust in public para 19.6).This is important for institution’s or professional’s presents to authorities for citizens from minority more than just administrative work.1 that of a ethnic communities, regulators and convenience. Successful models of “tick-box” inspectorates need to consider their review can engage professionals and This may appear to be a reductive exercise activities in the light of how to best practitioners as the experts, involve vision of accountability.The would be a respond to their enhanced the whole organisation, build temptation for inspectorates and terrible waste’ responsibilities. Below some of the internal capacity and understandings, regulators may be to respond to

2 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 such a vision by arguing that their • Type 1 inspections give the contribution inspectors concern for the public interest assurance on whether the make to high standards of makes standardisation, detail, and processes being followed by the service. Inspection in the public ease of measurement essential.Yet service provider are reliable and sector is good at providing in terms of race equality at least, a meet basic standards. assurance but it can do more, drive for standardisation may serve Inspectors may also provide and it can communicate its to disengage practitioners, leading to complex information as part of findings more effectively. RRAA 2000 race equality becoming another their assessment work. (OPSR p. 2) concept imposed from the ‘over- • In type 2 inspections, further controlling centre’, rather than about development of performance In considering how to ‘Trust is not the professionalism of their practice. indicators has been used to communicate more effectively with better A model of self-review, internally identify the relative the public, inspectorates and developed developed targets, regular reporting achievement of individual regulatory bodies should give through and honest dialogue with regulatory providers, and a greater attention to how they can learn to claiming to and inspecting bodies, with an specificity of information.Type 2 better communicate with people know all of underpinning of minimum standards, inspection is more concerned from minority ethnic communities. the answers, is likely to yield more enduring with accountability and There are a number of ways in but rather change. presents a challenge to the which this can be achieved: through through an As ever, there is a balance to be providers to improve. media targeted specifically at honesty and struck.Trust is not better developed • In type 3 inspections, minority ethnic communities, transparency through claiming to know all of the inspectors are playing a more through existing networks such as in coming to answers, but rather through an active part in securing the voluntary sector, through terms with honesty and transparency in coming improvement, while retaining statutory networks such as Race the to terms with the challenges. As the their independence. Less Equality Councils, or through challenges’ MORI/Audit Commission research emphasis is placed on checking developing networks of noted: compliance, and more on the practitioners and professionals in user perspective. specific public policy arenas. 53% identify admitting (OPSR p.14)3 Involvement, however, needs to responsibility when they make yield benefits for those being mistakes and 44% learning Of these three types of engaged as well as for the from mistakes as important in inspection, type 3 inspections lend inspectorate. Consultation must be determining trust in public themselves more readily to building meaningful and needs to be a services. trust on race equality.The emphasis dialogue rather than a PR exercise. (MORI/AC 2003)2 in type 3 inspections on the If consultation is undertaken, then outcomes of the service and the organisations must explain the Inspection regimes need to respect perceptions of users rather than on decisions they have taken and why organisations’ professionalism and checking compliance, would appear they have not adopted the internal strengths in coming to to be an approach which allows for suggestions given to them. terms with such an important set of the inspected organisation to take Further, when approaching 1 Onora O’Neill, issues. At the same time they need ownership of the changes, while the voluntary sector organisations, BBC Reith to behave as a sensitive guarantor inspectorate is a contributor to inspectorates will need to Lectures, 2002 to the public of the efforts of public improvement on behalf of the understand their capacity to [http:/www.bbc. authorities. Supporting organisational public. respond. For example, since the co.uk/radio4/reith self-review is an effective means of requirement to produce race 2002/] attempting to square this particular Public Involvement equality schemes came into force, circle. Building trust is dependent on many organisations have found 2 MORI/Audit The Office of Public Service honesty, information-sharing, themselves inundated with requests Commission Reform published a review of responding to needs, and keeping to respond to schemes.This is (2003) Trust in inspection in 2003 that defined promises. All of these activities frustrating for organisations that Public Institutions. three types of inspection. require creating a dialogue with want to be supportive but who New Findings. people and especially (though not could not possibly have the capacity London: MORI, Best practice in inspection exclusively), in the case of race to respond to the hundreds of p. 13. today aims to deliver, to the equality, minority ethnic communities. requests for significant analysis of extent appropriate, all three The OPSR report noted that: documentation. Involvement must 3 OPSR (2003) types, according to the be meaningful, timely, Inspecting for assurances needed, the direction Independent inspection plays communicated to all relevant parts Improvement: being received by the an important role in providing of our communities, and seen as a Developing a inspectorate, and the assurance to the public, but we crucial part of any inspectorate’s Customer Focused inspectorate’s own capacity for found that most members of work in building trust on race Approach. London: change. the public do not know about equality in public authorities. HMSO.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 3 Inspectorates as report for inspectorates is that there is impatience for change – Public Authorities they should be: especially in terms of the raw Inspectorates and regulatory outcomes of public service activity bodies are often also public Developing their organisational that show a disproportionate level authorities and as such are bound and leadership capacity to of negative effects across so many under the duties of the Race facilitate innovation, including indicators for people from certain RRAA 2000 Relations Amendment Act.They personnel policies, to draw in minority ethnic communities. generally do not have the benefit and refresh the skills and Inspectorates will be promoting of external inspection in order to competencies needed for the race equality alongside a wide ‘In becoming support the development of their range of their inspection work. range of other organisations and as champions of organisational self-review, although (OPSR p. 39) such will be committed partners in race equality, many inspectorates use the the elimination of discriminations inspectorates feedback they receive from those The RRAA has meant that the and the promotion of a successful and they inspect to judge the range of inspection work has multi-ethnic society. regulators effectiveness of their own efforts. changed. Inspectorates will need to It needs to be better will have to In line with their status as public consider this as an opportunity to communicated that many be mindful of authorities they have a duty to look afresh at their personnel inspectorates are small what they promote race equality. In order to policies to ensure that the relevant organisations with legal limitations can achieve do this effectively, they will need to expertise is brought into the to their ambit.This is not iterated and what further open up communication organisation, or that other ways are here as an excuse but as a means impact they with the general public and specific found through which to access it. of assuring that those who suffer can have in groups to ensure that they are Some inspectorates have been the vicissitudes of racisms do not the short and seen as exemplars of effective race resourceful in using external have expectations of inspection medium equality practice. expertise to develop their that cannot be fulfilled. It will also terms’ This extends not only to their approach to race equality, others enable inspectorates to enter into pronouncements, but their capacity have brought senior members into partnership with other to deal with issues around race their teams with expertise in the organisations to challenge racisms equality, the kinds of priorities they field; a further approach has been and promote race equality, rather adopt in their roles as regulators or to use the expertise of lay than being seen as the sole answer inspectors, and the profile that they inspectors to respond to skills gaps. to the problem. have beyond those that they Inspectorates are bound by the These challenges are not easy inspect. One of the public duty to consider the impact to respond to and will involve recommendations of the OPSR that their work could potentially significant change for many have on race equality and good inspecting bodies. For some, there relations between ethnic will be opportunities afforded by Guardians of Race Equality, a series of communities, and to prioritise the changes and mergers that are perspectives on inspection and regulation for changes in their practices that already in train. For others, race equality, will be launched on 15 October. In could work to promote them. It responding to race equality may the collection, the vision set out in the has been argued here that the mean reassessing the approach that Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic impact could be great and that they have adopted to date.The Britain’s report is revisited in order to highlight its therefore changes will need to be onus is on inspection and relevance for public authorities and other commensurate.The lack of an regulation bodies to be organisations in terms of regulation. A range of contributors then offer their observations on the inspectorate for inspectorates torchbearers for the promotion of theme, from their perspectives as government means that they will have to work race equality.The importance of ministers, practitioners, inspectors and inspected, doubly hard to engage the public in public authorities in creating a from the statutory and order to build trust in themselves. common sense of belonging in a voluntary sectors, with successful multi-ethnic society is a Foreword by Audrey Managing Expectations clear. A common sense of Osler.The aim remains Effective communication will also belonging is therefore dependent to offer support to enable inspectorates and on our ability to build trust in our those who are regulatory bodies to be clear about public authorities on race equality. engaged in creating a what their role is and what they Inspection and regulation are key more successful multi- can deliver.Trustworthiness is drivers in the task of developing ethnic Britain. Guardians dependent on honesty. In trust in public authorities. of Race Equality Guardians of Race becoming champions of race Inspection and regulatory activity Equality (ISBN: 0 Perspectives on Inspection and Regulation equality, inspectorates and then is about more than guardian- 9538164 5 1) can be regulators will have to be mindful ship, it is also about the success of purchased from of what they can achieve and what a multi-ethnic society viewed as a Central Books [[email protected]]. or impact they can have in the short community of citizens and a contact Runnymede for further details. and medium terms. Understandably community of communities. ❑

4 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 From Employment Policy to Corporate Social Responsibility1

At the ‘Developing Community Cohesion’ conference, mini-plenary sessions looked at discrete areas of socio-economic activity around which government input would be not only welcomed EMPLOYMENT but sought for. Michelynn Laflèche, Runnymede’s Director, here teases out some of the key issues from the employment group discussions in what participants felt was a particularly useful session.What emerged above all was the need for joined-up policy solutions, as employment policies sit closely alongside issues of economic development and regeneration in the public realm, and corporate social responsibility in the private sector.

At the point of preparing this paper, there could be implement policies in the public, private and found, on the website of the Community Cohesion Unit voluntary sectors relating to the elimination at the Home Office, the following statement with regard of discrimination and aiming towards the to building community cohesion and employment: achievement of equality, specifically race equality, in employment opportunities across High levels of unemployment and variations in job the labour market. opportunities can have a detrimental impact in But the report went a little further – beyond building cohesion. Disparity in the levels of employment – to also make recommendations relating employment between varying groups can also breed 1 At Runnymede’s to procurement, enterprise development and the Conference on resentment between different communities. Local provision of financial services to businesses. In other Community Cohesion the authorities, learning and skills councils and the mini-plenary session on words, the additional role that employers play in Employment was chaired Employment Service should be engaged in developing promoting equality through business-to-business by Runnymede Trustee equal access to employment for all sections of the Maggie Lee, and featured relationships, the focal nature of economic development contributions from Peter community. (as at 12 May 2003) and enterprise for creating employment opportunities Ramsden (East Midlands Development Agency), and promoting economic activity, and the importance of Debbie Gupta (IPPR) and The Local Government Association was saying virtually business service providers (banks, investment, services, Tony Burnett (Ford).This Guidance on Community Cohesion contribution represents the same thing in its ,as etc.) pursuing fair (non-discriminatory) practices were all reflections on the session did the more recent report of the Cabinet Office’s seen as vital to overall success in creating equality in the itself and on the focus Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market area as a whole. It also Strategy Unit, labour market and, by extension, promoting social looks ahead, to question (March 2003), although in this latter case the link cohesion more generally. the role of corporate social responsibility between social inclusion and community cohesion is While the CFMEB (Parekh) Report adopted the among private-sector clearly articulated.2 concept of cohesion and applied it to social policy organisations in creating more inclusive and The purpose of this conference session was to broadly, it was the Cantle Report and the responding cohesive communities. explore the relationship of employment policies and Ministerial Report that brought the term ‘community 2 LGA (2002) Guidance practices to enhancing community cohesion. But, in fact, cohesion’ to the forefront of new policy debates at the on Community Cohesion, the issue is somewhat broader than the title of this end of 2001, and which predominated throughout 2002. London: Local Government Association, session at first suggests – it is not just employment per se Both of these reports had something to say about p.41; Ethnic Minorities and that can or could be relevant in creating more inclusive employment.4 the Labour Market (Final Report, March 2003), and cohesive communities, but also economic The Cantle Report made several specific remarks, p.40, Cabinet Office development and regeneration and, indeed, the broader based on the findings of the Independent Review Team, Strategy Unit [email: strategy@cabinet- actions of companies falling under the area of corporate which implicitly related employment to community ofice.x.gsi.gov.uk]. social responsibility. cohesion: 3 CFMEB (2000) The The Runnymede Report of the Commission on the • Employment opportunities for some groups were Future of Multi-Ethnic Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain was the starting point for very poor. Britain:The Parekh Report. London: Profile Books for our work on community cohesion through 2002. It is • There was evidence of racial discrimination. the Runnymede Trust, pp. therefore worth returning to what we said in our • Postcode discrimination was also identified as a 192-204. chapter on Employment.3 Employment equity is perhaps problem which affected poor white communities as 4 Community Cohesion: A the best-known issue in relation to achieving greater much as poor ethnic minority communities. Report of the Independent Review equality in the labour force, and therefore greater • Local agencies often have very low ethnic minority Team, chaired by Ted equality overall – income, access to services and quality representation. Cantle, Home Office, December 2001; Building of life are all obviously related to employment The Ministerial Group responded to the Cantle Report Cohesive Communities: A opportunities. Consequently, it is not surprising that many on these points, stating that: Report of the Ministerial Group on Public Order and of the recommendations of the CFMEB’s report focused • The Department for Work and Pensions was Community Cohesion, on employment equity and the need to create and committed to narrowing the employment disparity for Home Office, 2001.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 5 ethnic minority communities and also for deprived boosting knowledge of one’s own consumer base; and, communities more generally. not least, projecting an enhanced public image. • The Regional Development Agencies have an important role to play. The Agency Approach • The evidence provided an agenda for action on racial Tackling social exclusion through economic inclusion was discrimination, but argued that there needed to be an introduced by Peter Ramsden, who presented the work EMPLOYMENT emphasis on the issues surrounding poor white of emda (East Midlands Development Agency) in communities as well. support of our premise that merely to remove • Local agencies needed to engage with Regional disadvantage in employment was insufficient to bring ‘Given that Development Agencies in tackling the problem. about community cohesion.The emda strategy offered the messages At the time of their publication the emphasis of these an interesting and stimulating example of how to address are not new, two reports was most obviously on discrimination in the broader issues of economic development.Their starting- and discrimi- labour market and the lack of employment opportunities. point clearly articulates the need to think about inclusion nation and Less clear, but nonetheless stated, was the idea that as a success measure – ‘helping those who are disaffection employment, insofar as it contributed to community disadvantaged move closer to mainstream economic continue to cohesion, was also dependent on economic development growth and prosperity [thereby addressing] the gap exist, what is and inter-agency working. between disadvantaged areas, groups and individuals’. the potential In trying to flesh out what this meant in policy terms After all, now for more broadly (‘understanding the issues’), and to change?’ showcase examples of ‘delivering solutions’, three headline economic growth is only part of the equation. presenters opened the discussion to this conference When economic growth in the more advanced areas session on community cohesion and employment. of the region improves, it does not necessarily bring improvements to disadvantaged areas – just as the The Outline lack of growth and opportunity in disadvantaged Debbie Gupta led off the session with an outline of the areas does not necessarily hinder those that are doing work of the Institute for Public Policy Research’s well.5 taskforce on race equality and diversity in the private sector.The taskforce is an employer-led IPPR initiative, Three ‘catalysts’ for economic inclusion as identified by which is exploring the public policy options for emda were to: promoting race equality in private-sector employment. At • help communities become more enterprising; the time of this conference it was still at a very early • grow micro and social enterprises, focusing on under- stage in its existence; consequently the focus of the represented and disadvantaged groups and presentation was on how the taskforce aimed to fulfil its communities; and key objectives, namely to: • establish and promote a broader range of community • set out the current position on minority ethnic orientated finance providers. participation and attainment in the UK private sector; • identify examples of best practice in the private sector Straightforward Messages and understand the reasons for their success; What came out of this whole session were clear, • evaluate the limitations of existing legislation and straightforward messages that have long been put public policy initiatives; and forward by equalities organisations, recognised to a large • determine which further steps the private sector and extent by government, even implemented to some government should take to harness the skills and degree by the private sector: experience of people from minority ethnic • Create more cohesive communities through communities. employment opportunities. • Tackle racial discrimination first and foremost in the The Case Study recruitment, retention and progression of employees. Tony Burnett introduced Ford’s approach to addressing • Tackle other forms of discrimination, including for racial discrimination and promoting diversity across its example postcode discrimination, as well, and with business operations. Ford, like many large companies equal ferocity. today, makes a strong feature of the business case for • Regenerate and stimulate economies to provide the tackling discrimination and promoting diversity. much-needed opportunities. Understanding demographic trends in Britain and • To achieve this, put in place strong, targeted and Europe, notably the increasing proportion of available measurable policies – and adhere to them. labour and potential consumers from minority ethnic backgrounds, was identified as a key driver to their Potential for Change diversity policy. It was argued that focusing on ethnicity Given that the messages are not new, and discrimination 5 emda (2001) Creating Enterprising Communities. was deemed to have real business benefits – for and disaffection continue to exist, what is the potential East Midlands example, in terms of attracting employees from a wider now for change? The new Duty to Promote Race Development Agency’s Economic Inclusion talent pool; strengthening staff morale and productivity; Equality (RRAA 2000) placed on most public authorities Development Plan. reducing costs (i.e. through fewer industrial tribunals); could go a long way towards tackling discrimination in

6 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 the workplace. Having to make that shift from mere The DTI suggests that businesses might consider the compliance in non-discrimination to the positive following under their CSR activities: promotion of good race relations could engender a • engage in local partnerships for renewal; newly affirmative culture in the public sector.While the • support local partnerships by acting as business private sector is still not bound by this duty, and it is brokers to bring together private-sector unlikely that further regulation is forthcoming, voluntary contributions on renewal; action is still the key ingredient for change. Examples such • seek new opportunities for investment in deprived EMPLOYMENT as that provided by Ford are valuable in their areas, making use of the funding and other financial encouragement of greater private-sector commitment to incentives that are available, and taking up successful 6 Strategy Unit, op cit tackling discrimination and promoting diversity, even business models already in use abroad; note 1; see in particular when reliant largely on the business case to do so. • employ local people or purchase from local the Prime Minister’s Foreword (p. 3) and the Moreover, the strategy outlined in Ethnic Minorities and enterprises; Executive Summary (pp. the Labour Market,6 now to be adopted as government • support local projects through the contribution of 4–7). policy, also has great potential for making change happen. resources including the secondment of staff, or 7 This Mori poll was cited With a target of ensuring that minority ethnic groups will allowing local groups to share facilities; in Mentoring: Business and Schools Working no longer face disproportionate barriers to accessing and • show publicly their support for and confidence in Together (Runnymede realising opportunities for achievement in the labour the communities within which these renewal Handbook, June 2001), and is also still market in 10 years’ time, government is making its projects are taking place. referenced on the strongest commitment to change yet. Including social Clearly these kinds of activities relate much to government’s CSR website cohesion as a measure of progress puts this strategy at neighbourhood renewal, and are indeed promoted by [http://www.societyandb the heart of the community cohesion agenda. the DTI as something that businesses can do to engage usiness.gov.uk/about/inde x.html]. Finally, the four key objectives given to RDAs to in government-related activities. And as neighbourhood promote economic development, social cohesion, renewal is so obviously connected to the community 8 LGA, op cit. note 1, see p.41. employment and employability and enterprise could cohesion agenda, why isn’t corporate social support the community cohesion agenda as well. responsibility being identified as a potential element in Examples such as that provided in this session by emda the whole project? are positive starts in this direction. With more and more businesses beginning to engage in CSR activities, the potential value for building Corporate Social Responsibility community cohesion is great. Businesses, community But there is one further area relating to employment organisations and government need to work together to and economy that needs to be considered, that of identify strategic engagement in this regard – the loosely corporate social responsibility. Many companies today planned interventions common today will not suffice recognise the importance of making a positive impact when it comes to building cohesion.This is a critical area and giving something back to the communities in which in the whole agenda relating to employment and the they operate.The growth of CSR in the UK over recent economy.Taken together with tackling racial discrimination years is marked and the potential value of private- in the workplace, economic regeneration and non- sector engagement with local communities is discriminatory business-to-business practices, the considerable. A Mori poll (2000) found that 60% of UK contribution that the private sector, in partnership with businesses stated they were involved in some form of the public and voluntary sectors, can make is vital to CSR.7 creating a successful and cohesive multi-ethnic Britain. ❑ Remarkably, thus far, this idea is still not being pushed as part of the community cohesion agenda, with the Developing Community Cohesion: exception of a short statement in the LGA’s Guidance RUNNYMEDE Based on Proceedings of the Understanding the Issues, Delivering Solutions Runnymede Conference of October 2002 on Community Cohesion held at the Barbican Conference Centre, London suggesting that ‘Local authorities has just been published by Runnymede as both could also consider how the growth of corporate social a contemporary chronicle of the event by the responsibility can be harnessed to the greater benefit of principal speakers, and a summary of plenary 8 the whole community’. session presentations and discussions by plenary So what role could CSR play in contributing to session leaders, some, as with this contribution, Developing community cohesion? Much like promoting diversity in Community offering the added perspective of hindsight. Cohesion Understanding the Issues, Delivering Solutions the workplace (particularly in private-sector Participants included: companies), CSR activities are largely business-case Sir Ian Blair of the Metropolitan Police driven. Just one example of a popular CSR activity, Beverley Hughes MP,Minister of State at the Home Office business-school mentoring, is as much about tapping Lord Parekh, Runnymede Trustee into the future labour force and enhancing the Sharmila Gandhi, Bradford Vision company’s public image as it is about giving something Gary Younge, Guardian columnist back to society, perhaps more so. Broadly speaking, the To order a copy of Developing Community Cohesion business case for CSR is usually put forward (in addition (ISBN: 0 9538164 4 3), contact Runnymede via the usual mechanisms to bringing benefits to society) as a means of enhancing (see the outside back cover of this Bulletin). Before the end of the companies’ reputations, improving competitiveness, and year, the publication will also be available on the website. strengthening risk management.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 7 Race Awareness and Diversity Training Runnymede is currently developing its thinking on training TRAINING for race equality. Sara Mody began the process with a FOR RACE short introductory project on framing some initial EQUALITY research questions.

Sara Mody Progress of Diversity and Equality Group, completed a recommendations which is responsible for Reports on training quality summer There has been some progress in prisoner race relations issues Two major reports have assessed internship at response to the and equal opportunities for the quality of training being Runnymede in recommendations of the staff. In addition, each prison provided and whether the needs 2003. Commission on the Future of has a Race Relations Liaison of organisations are being met: Multi-Ethnic Britain that included Officer who serves as the • The Home Office produced A training. In particular: point of contact for race Review of Training in Racism • The police have actively been issues for prisoners and staff Awareness and Valuing Cultural pursuing diversity and race (Autumn 2002). Diversity in 2002, which awareness, and much time and • The Teacher Training Agency surveyed over 700 money have been invested in laid out their strategy as organisations and employees. training. However, training is regards race equality training The report determined inconsistent because of lack of in their Corporate Plan for programmes’ strengths and national standards, proper 2003–2006.Their goal is to weaknesses, and made evaluations, and the increase the numbers of recommendations for commitment of key people.1 A minority ethnic trainers and improvements. One report released in March provide diversity training for interviewee recognised that, in 2003, Diversity Works, staff.The training will include training programmes,‘No real contained 49 detailed coverage of equality issues and picture was drawn in terms of recommendations on how to teaching in multicultural the destination that the improve the current schools. Runnymede’s programme was supposed to programme. At this time, no Complementing Teachers will be take us…We have no idea national standards or national a key resource for this training. where the organisation is going training programme have been • The NHS has started to with diversity’.3 Interviews such established, but the Home provide training for upper-level as this enabled the Home Office, the Association of management and frontline Office to determine trends, Chief Police Officers, and the staff.The goal of the training is both positive and negative, in 1 HMIC (2003) Association of Police to make them aware of the the training programmes being Diversity Matters: Authorities are now pursuing requirements of the Race delivered. In general, the report Executive national guidelines.2 Relations (Amendment) Act concluded that diversity Summary, March. • Probation officers have also 2000 and the importance of training by itself is not enough been active.They released attitudes to racial equality for organisational change. 2 SourceUK.net Heart of the Dance in being positively espoused Training must be rooted in a (2003) Race & February 2003,which spelled throughout this enormous strategic model for change. Diversity Training for out the diversity strategy for organisation. A system for Furthermore, change is not Police, 17 March. the National Probation monitoring the progress of something that will happen http://www.source Service. In addition, the this training has been set up, overnight and organisations uk.net/indexf.html? National Probation and draws support from the need to be willing to take the 03120 Directorate will provide national standards set within time to develop and modify national guidelines and a Bridging the Gap (January programmes as the 3 Home Office framework for gathering, 2002). Created by the CRE organisation grows and (2002) Training in acknowledging and and Sheffield Health Authority, changes. From their research Racism Awareness disseminating best practice. A this programme provides a they also produced a good and Cultural network of diversity advisors toolkit for community health practice guide, which gives Diversity: Home has been established, which and social services guidelines for developing a Office development brings together managers and organisations, reforming successful diversity programme and practice report, advisors from the 42 areas. current practices to promote in an area.This includes key September. • Prison officers created the racial equality. questions an organisation

8 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 should be able to answer, differences between cultures favoured approach, the important steps to include in and practices.The aim here is importance of fulfilling the an organisation’s plan, etc. to ensure clear communication client’s need was stressed. • The second report, Directions between individuals and to • Interviewees felt trainers in Diversity: Current opinion and eliminate ignorance as the should be well informed and good practice, was released in excuse for racist remarks or capable of getting the November 2002 by the Audit beliefs. information across in an TRAINING Commission.The research was • The third type of training interesting manner. FOR RACE based on interviewing experts programme is training for • Lack of regulation of the EQUALITY in the field and reviewing the employees from black and training business was current literature. Directions in minority ethnic (BME) mentioned in almost every Diversity looked at service communities. It aims to provide interview. None of the Bibliography delivery and employment people with the tools they interviewees advocated Audit Commission practice in the public sector. In need to progress within their regulation, though all noted (2002) Directions particular it examined the profession. that the lack of regulation did in Diversity: Current opinion and good standards of what was on offer, have its consequences, practice. Published and assessed the impact of this Feedback from interviews including that anyone could 14 November. training through interviews Through this scoping exercise we deliver training, and that the with people who had received hoped to learn what trainees risks trainers are prepared to Home Office it, establishing the general expected to have delivered to take are limited. (2002) A Review quality of training being them by the professionals who of Training in provided and how to improve offer training, and how the Next steps Racism Awarenss it. Interviewees felt that training professionals themselves We will continue to develop and Valuing Cultural should be part of an overall expected to deliver it.The thinking in this area in order to Diversity: Final package, be specialised for the purposive sample of interviewees develop a larger project for the Report, September. group involved, and be came from different areas of the near future. If you have any supported by upper-level UK and from different types of reflections on training for race NHS (2003) Bridging the Gap. management.They also companies. equality, its effectiveness, its NHS Magazine, debated whether training • Interviewees were clear that structures, or the kind of support published 12 June. should be mandatory, whether training programmes should that can be provided for trainers Accessible at training makes the situation cater to the needs of the and the ‘trained’, please get in http://www.nhs.uk/ better or worse, etc. company and the participants contact with Rob Berkeley, nhsmagazine/ Both reports provide a good themselves.While there may Senior Research and Policy archive/aug/feature starting-point for assessing the be a standard structure or Analyst at Runnymede. ❑ 2.asp needs of the diversity training sector and improving the quality of the product. A SENSE OF PLACE Current field Displacement and Intregration: the role of the arts and of diversity training media in reshaping societies and identities in Europe Desk research from May and June 24–27 November 2003, The Old Library, Cardiff, Wales 2003 shows that many companies are now seeking out diversity A Sense of Place is a major 4-day international event that will training from a wide number of investigate, question and shed light on ‘displacement’ and ‘integration’ in Europe, through the diversity training consultants, and intellectual focus of the role of the arts, culture and media. suggests that there are three Runnymede’s session at this event will debate:‘From Art/Cultural Interventions to Social areas on which trainers focus: Transformation and Back Again: Practice/Research/ Policy’. Case studies from three European valuing diversity, cultural countries, using different medium/art expressions, will provide a starting point to illustrate the awareness, and minority training. experiences of projects at the nexus of research, arts/cultural practices, and social policy, • Valuing diversity programmes exploring the tensions between these practices as a challenge or as a developmental aid, and tend to look at diversity as an identifying how policy constraints inhibit success. asset for a business or A British Council initiative, A Sense of Place is supported by Arts Council Wales, Cardiff organisation.These 2008,Welsh Assembly Government, and the Gulbenkian Foundation, and run in collaboration programmes focus on the with the Runnymede Trust, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants,The London benefits of a diverse Metropolitan University, Cardiff Council, Chapter Arts Centre, and Cardiff School of workforce, building a diverse Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. workforce, and various ways of utilising people’s uniqueness. For further information about A Sense of Place, or to download a booking form go to: • Secondly, the programmes on www.asenseofplace.org.uk Address enquiries to: [email protected] cultural awareness look into the

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 9 A Sense of Belonging London 16–19 (Capturing a snapshot of teenage life in London today)

On Saturday 20 September, the Museum of London hosted Two of the six groups – a special event, in its newly refurbished premises, as the Fitzrovia Youth in Action and culmination of their ‘London 16–19’ project.‘Capturing a Croydon Youth Development THIS IS snapshot of teenage life in London today’ showcased the Trust – are also offering their contributions to WHERE I work of six youth groups – Fitzrovia Youth in Action, Runnymede’s ‘This is Where I Live’ project. ‘It’s very Croydon Youth Development Trust,‘A’Team Arts (Tower inspiring to see so many young people taking positive LIVE Hamlets), New Deal for Communities (Seven Sisters) and action towards improving their future,’ said Jay from two poetry groups from Southwark and Wandsworth.The Fitzrovia.The project gave us an ‘opportunity to go out and groups have used oral history, photography, writing, poetry do things that we probably wouldn’t – it made us find out Rajiv Anand is and a fashion show to address issues that are important in more about our area’, said Fizal. Runnymede’s their lives. The event was a success, and the afternoon was enjoyed Project Co- Sarah Gudgin, coordinator of the project for MoL in by all who attended, participants of the project and the ordinator partnership with Runnymede, opened the proceedings by wider museum audience. See images from the project and (Youth and welcoming all the participants and declaring that:‘this more information on the Museum of London’s project will enable people in the future to hear the voices new website [www.museum Arts) and experiences of young people and will provide a record oflondon.org.uk/ for the Museum of London’. londonsvoices]. ❑ First up on Saturday was a fashion show from the ‘Hands On’ sector of ‘A’Team Arts. Inspired by a fusion of cultures and images from nature, the collection was made up entirely from hand-painted silks in rich and earthy colours.Twelve young models displayed the costumes in a truly professional manner to an atmospheric soundtrack mixed with a voiceover from the Lebanese popstar Natasha Atlas. Photograph by A poetry session, led by a tutor from the library, was Rickon Hussain conducted by six young people from Wandsworth Library Reading Group.The poems, which looked at how the of the Fitzrovia young people felt about living and growing up in urban Youth in Action London, were well structured and sometimes provocative. group used to Towards the end of the afternoon a poetry workshop was publicise the conducted by Aoife Manicx from Southwark Summer London 16Ð19 University.This session gave all participants a chance to be poets for an afternoon, and encouraged people to write project something on a related issue.

A Sense of Recognition The Institute of International Visual Arts programme 10/03–03/04 is offering images to alter perceptions, including as part of its film programme:‘A Stone’s Throw Away’ (children growing up in the abnormal/everyday of Deheishe refugee camp);‘Eating Grass’ (Alia Syed’s 5 stories relating to Muslim prayer times, shot in London, Karachi and Lahore); and John La Rose in conversation with Horace Ové about his new film on Trinidad’s diaspora ‘The Dream to Change the World’ to launch a screening on 10 December. For details of exhibitions, chatroom discussions and other presentations between October 2003 and April 2004 at 6–8 Standard Place, Rivington St, London EC2A 3BE, see TheSpace@inVA [tel: 020 7729 9616].

A Sense of Self On 4 June 2003, our colleague Qaisra Khan’s last official day at Runnymede, we were invited as a group to visit 19 Princelet Street, Spitalfields, a place of resonance. The Spitalfields Centre, a post-Fire of London speculative building of 1719, a Huguenot master silk weaver’s house, a Victorian synagogue, the building that housed ‘Rodinsky’s Room’ – all of these and much more are expressed by the increasingly ‘fragile’ fabric of this Georgian structure. It was placed on the ‘At Risk’ register in 2002, making activities aimed at stabilising and maintaining not just its structure but its unique atmosphere matters of the utmost urgency. Its central spaces currently house an exhibition created by groups of children from local schools.The children have been encouraged to reimagine the immigration experiences of children of any number of other nationalities, and to express and interpret them by means of many media – poetry, stories, objects and artefacts of all kinds.The theme uses suitcases – as containers, backdrops and catalysts – for thinking about what it means to leave home, to not have many (or any) possessions, to arrive with little or nothing to tell you who you were, are or may become. It is about what remains when all else is stripped away – a sense of identity. It is about what can be built from very small means – a sense of belonging. It is about one’s life-chances, no more no less. Not many buildings have the potential to do this. Not many buildings can offer this kind of experience, disregarding age, origin, religion, when they have at some time been put to such specific uses as no.19 Princelet Street.This is what makes it so specially worth preserving, as a container for a rich mix of emotions from which can spring ‘the understanding needed for a truly diverse society’, respectful of the feelings of others.

‘Suitcases and Sanctuary’ and ‘Leave to Remain’ (made by 3 contemporary artists, Suzana Tamamovic, Margareta Kem and Gonkar Gyatso) can be visited at www.19princeletstreet.org.uk and www.leavetoremain.org, respectively.The house will next be open at the end of October (Sunday 26th, 12–5pm) for Black History Month.

10 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 Basic Income able to deliver justice than non-democratic ones.This is not merely an accident; justice is usually viewed as an Equality issues beyond the ‘baby bond’ intrinsic aspect of democracy even though most would admit that every society embodies varying degrees of A relatively new ‘big idea’ in political injustice.Therefore, the question usually centres on the philosophy, which has attracted much relevant diagnosis of the severity of injustices, their sources, and what can be done to achieve greater justice. attention and which has direct policy EQUALITY The answers to these questions are not only diverse, but AND FREE implications too, is that of ‘basic income’. further complicated by the fact that freedom, equality and CHOICE fraternity (or common citizenship or solidarity) are all The key idea is for all residents of a state established as fundamental values of democracy.And these to be guaranteed a certain amount of concepts are themselves the subject of intense debate ‘It is true that basic income income in order to ensure greater about their proper analytical meaning, to say nothing of their relationship to justice, to each other or to policy would be measures of subsistence, freedom and implementation. unable to deal equality – though these ideals are variously Indeed, an apparent contradiction between freedom with and equality has motivated much of the debate in political workplace stressed in the literature. Practically philosophy and each side is perceived to be the natural racism or speaking, the grant would need to be large home of libertarians and socialists respectively.Thus, for a impediments to promotion enough to cover the costs of health, libertarian, realising justice is simply maximising freedom; for socialists, the higher the levels of due to housing and food, though these inequality, the less justice in any given society. institutional racism, but no might further be adjusted by other Rather than going into the various arguments involved in these and other debates, let me policy can policies. In this article Omar Khan instead note that Van Parijs believes that he has possibly be looks at the concept of basic income, provided both a philosophical and practical answer expected to to this problem.While Van Parijs takes the be a universal and how implementation of a justice critique of capitalism seriously – panacea’ basic income policy might and thus assumes the need for a more benefit members of black and extensive set of equal opportunities – he also admits the power of the freedom-based minority ethnic communities. critique of command economies and other aspects of a socialist state. The Philosophical Debate on Basic Income In contemporary political philosophy, much weight is The current interest in basic income and related ideas placed on individual choice, responsibility and flowed initially from the seriousness given to its deservingness. Basic income arguments can also make propositions and claims by the philosophical community. some use of these arguments, though Van Parijs focuses Although prior thinkers had given the idea some much more on freedom, as noted below. If an individual consideration, Philippe Van Parijs has recently advanced can be said to have chosen a path, the outcomes that the most sophisticated and compelling defence of basic eventuate are not normally viewed as unjust for that income in Real Freedom for All:What (if anything) can justify individual. However, there is still enormous room for capitalism? substantive disagreement over what constitutes choice. Like much recent political philosophy, the book is John Rawls went so far as to declare that people do not motivated by the basic question of what is justice.Van deserve their talents – such as intelligence, beauty, Parijs’s answer is basic income, where all members of a athleticism, and even effort – since the distribution of society are granted a wage designed to meet basic living talents is a ‘natural lottery’, and thus cannot be viewed as 1 Another idea that has standards, regardless of their talent, hard work or any other having anything to do with anyone’s choices.2 If Rawls is been argued as a similar factors. Others have identified the key determinants of the even partially right, we need to be more sanguine about but rival idea to basic size of the income as housing, health and food costs, the justice of situations where the roles of choice and income is a citizenship though other goods have been variously included. chance are difficult if not impossible to determine.This stake.This idea has Basic income supporters claim that this would provide would seem to support an argument for basic income received its clearest every individual in society with the possibility of making since we are unable to declare which individuals truly exposition in Bruce free choices about their life plan and goals, especially those deserve greater rewards. People may of course ultimately Ackerman and Anne who are perceived as currently able to make such choices deserve differential rewards (a likelihood readily Alstott, The Stakeholder solely on the basis of need. In order to defuse immediate acknowledged by basic income), but if we are unable to Society. London:Yale objections that such a policy is wholly utopian – to say determine the role of initial chance and further unable or University Press, 1999. nothing of its desirability – it is necessary to place the unwilling to eliminate initial opportunity discrepancies in claim for basic income in the context of arguments about the family, basic income seems the most likely way to 2 In his Theory of Justice. what justice requires in liberal democratic states.1 achieve impartial justice. Cambridge: Belknap Democratic states are usually perceived as being better Since Van Parijs proclaims his allegiance to ‘left Press, 1997.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 11 libertarianism’ or ‘real libertarianism’ it is not surprising Basic income would grant every member of society an that Real Freedom for All seriously engages libertarian amount of money large enough to defray the cost of basic arguments but insists that the standard views are wholly goods (such as housing, health and food) and would thus unable to deal with situations where one individual’s realise a fairly robust ideal of equal opportunity. For those increased liberty can result in increased unfreedom for fortunate enough already to have met these requirements, another.The obvious example is where the increased the grant would provide little extra bonus. On the other EQUALITY freedom of the powerful to engage in certain activities can hand, for those in difficult circumstances and currently AND FREE place even greater measures of unfreedom on the poor; making decisions based on need or survival, basic income CHOICE but similar points can be made without recourse to power would comprehensively enhance their options regarding differentials. If we wish to take individual liberty seriously, life plans and goals.The result would be increased equality such tradeoffs cannot unequivocally be said to increase of opportunity without forcing the state to make difficult liberty, as many libertarians seem to assert.Van Parijs views and contentious judgements about when opportunity basic income as the best way to advance individual liberty, structures had been equalized. If inflationary tendencies and following his arguments is a worthwhile if difficult dilute the impact of the basic income, it is raised task. Unlike other conceptualisations of liberty, basic accordingly, further underlining its egalitarian potential. income imposes no unacceptable restrictions on anyone’s liberty, but enormously enhances the liberty of all those 3. Good citizenship.Another egalitarian type of argument who are unable to make free choices due to circumstances, for basic income, which in fact flows from the third ideal whether these are viewed as within their control or not. stated in French republicanism, namely fraternity or citizenship. If liberal rights help to guarantee equal Political Support for Basic Income citizenship, basic income could serve the same purpose. In In addition to philosophical discussion of basic income, this context, basic income becomes an intrinsic part of 1 Another idea that has many have considered its potential as a political project.3 being a citizen of a particular country, or part of the been argued as a similar but rival idea to basic While economists have conducted feasibility studies package of rights that each citizen is owed. Such an income is a citizenship regarding the financing of the grant, these discussions are argument need not rest on metaphysical or controversial stake.This idea has highly technical and are in many ways less compelling as views surrounding what citizenship entails, but merely be received its clearest exposition in Bruce justifications in any case. One reason for this is that even concerned with equal citizenship or the bonds of Ackerman and Anne neo-liberals, including some committed defenders of the community.6 As such, it is a view that both the right and left Alstott,The Stakeholder market economy, accept many of the premises and goals of can support. In sum, arguments made on the basis of liberty, Society. London:Yale University Press, 1999. basic income. equality and citizenship, as well as economic efficiency, seem to provide strong support for a basic income policy. 2 In his Theory of Justice. Cambridge: 1.The inefficiency of prejudice. It is evident that in the Belknap Press, 1997. current social environment many with the talent necessary Basic Income and Diversity

3 Explore this further by to succeed in the market are unable to do so due to The fact that the left and right support a policy does linking to the BIEN structural constraints and even prejudice external to the nothing to recommend it from a diversity perspective. network [www.bien.be] market.The resulting inefficiency produces a clear Indeed, many might suspect that such a consensus is and the BIG website [www.widerquist.com/us argument as to why some economic conservatives support possible only because basic income does little to change big/]. greater representation for women and minorities and why the underlying unequal opportunity structures in

4 Van Parijs is sceptical the Economist has supported gay marriage and other rights contemporary societies, particularly those based on about the feasibility of for homosexuals. ethnicity, gender or class.While there may be something to levying large inheritance this charge, it seems quite overblown. Basic income is taxes based on empirical evidence from a variety 2. Redistribution of assets. These inefficiencies are fundamentally a policy concerned to alleviate poverty and of sources. compounded in inheritance laws, perhaps one of the expand the choices of those who are poor or those with

5 This is not to say that greatest distorters of the market mechanism.When least real freedom. Inasmuch as such individuals are left-wing individuals have children are allowed to inherit the entirety of their parents’ disproportionately from black and minority ethnic no commitment to, nor estate, whatever the value of concessions to social stability, communities, and also women on disproportionately lower any compelling conception of, freedom; enormous wealth is placed in the hands of potentially incomes than men, they will be advantaged by such a one such view is ably inefficient people. In any case, there are clearly individuals policy. One of the reasons to support basic income is that demonstrated by Van who would be better able to utilise such resources, and it allows workers to choose to leave an unrewarding or Parijs. this partially explains why basic income arguments for even abusive job or relationship.With a basic income that 6 This is a highly redistributing natural assets are sometimes supported by provided for health, food and shelter, racist employers and simplified argument. For free market economists.4 abusive husbands, it is argued, would be less able to persist a subtle consideration of what citizenship requires If these indications regarding policy implementation in unjust treatment of their employees and partners. and other sophisticated suggest obvious reasons why libertarians and neo-liberals Basic income thus affords individuals much greater arguments over a type would (and already do) politically support basic income ability to pursue life choices that might be risky but highly of basic income, see Stuart White, The Civic from a freedom-based perspective, this should not incline rewarding. For example, pursuing an artistic or musical Minimum: on the rights left-leaning individuals to instinctively reject this idea or its career is far easier for wealthy or middle-class members of and obligations of policy recommendations.To return to an argument made society than for the poorer.While this might seem a trivial economic citizenship. Oxford: Oxford above, this is because of basic income’s equality-enhancing example, there is a greater potential impact on the labour University Press, 2003. potential.5 market. In an advanced economy, the rewards for various

12 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 skills vary enormously over time.Those who were trained possibly be expected to be a universal panacea. Basic to work in the manufacturing sector have not only lost income has as its aim the reduction of poverty or jobs on an unprecedented scale, but are further faced with destitution and the enhancement of the freedom of every enormous costs for retraining. Such employees could individual in society. Insofar as black and minority ethnic reserve their basic income during their years of earning individuals throughout the developed world are and use it to pay for retraining while drawing on their preponderantly represented among those who would be current grant to pay basic living expenses. Similar choices advantaged by basic income, it could provide an interesting EQUALITY would be available to carers and homemakers, who would policy prescription, even if we should always be wary of AND FREE no longer see hard work go unrewarded. our allies and understand their own motivations. CHOICE Like other policy reforms, basic income is a universal prescription. Many concerned with minority ethnic and Conclusion 7 See the excellent gender inequality doubt the efficacy of such policies on the In discussing potential ‘big ideas’ that emerge from the collection edited by grounds that they assume greater equality than exists in intellectual climate, one is always in danger of looking Andrew Reeve and society and, inadvertently or not, reinforce existing power foolish for predicting false dawns, if not downright elitist Andrew Williams, Real relations. For example, in the United States the existing for assuming that politics originates with academics or Libertarianism Assessed: package of rights was deemed insufficient for African- policy-makers. However, it is important that such ideas are Political theory after Van Parijs. Basingstoke: Americans simply because whites were able to make use of brought into the public domain from time to time, and it Palgrave Macmillan, such rights while effectively denying them to their is one of the strengths of basic income that it has been 2002. compatriots.Analogously, basic income might inadvertently able to penetrate policy circles in the form of the increase the opportunities of white communities while baby bond in Britain, and has been debated seriously providing less assistance to black and minority ethnic in Brazil, South Africa, Europe and North America. groups, even where such communities are also benefited. Not surprisingly, there has been a critical Again, however, this charge seems overstated.There philosophical response to Van Parijs’s original book, may indeed be situations where universal policies have but the index of contributors to a recent edited differential impacts on various groups, but this is either volume7 merely confirms the seriousness with because they are applied in a discriminatory fashion or which this apparently utopian idea is taken.That have an explicitly partial aim. Basic income suffers from Gordon Brown’s Treasury has seriously taken on neither of these defects and it must be assessed in terms of some of the thinking around the idea, in the its objectives. It is true that basic income would be unable form of the baby bond, indicates that the public to deal with workplace racism or impediments to might be debating this rather more complex promotion due to institutional racism, but no policy can and divergent idea in future. ❑

Equalities Coalition launched in July In the context of the current changes to the equalities legislation and machinery in the UK, a coalition of civil society organisations has been formed to foster debate and facilitate contact between themselves and other bodies.The Equalities Coalition is open to all those with an interest in issues of equality and non-discrimination, whether working specifically on one of the six equality ‘strands’ of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation, or with a more general interest.The Coalition is being funded by Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and managed by the Fawcett Society, with a cross-strand advisory group setting its direction. The Equalities Coalition provides a forum for a broad debate on the future of equalities in the UK, a means for different organisations to make contact and form partnerships, and exchange information on legislative developments, events, resources and lobbying opportunities. Coalition members already include a wide range of organisations, working at national, regional, local or grassroots level, and its work was launched at an initial meeting in July 2003. Participants debated issues around the proposed Single Equalities Body and provided much useful feedback on how they want the Coalition to work, emphasising the need for voluntary sector organisations to understand each other’s positions and needs before progress can be made. Organisations or individuals joining the Coalition can become involved as actively as they choose, whether by attending meetings and discussion events, engaging with online debates or viewing information on the Coalition’s website [www.equalities.org]. To register as a member or for more information contact the Coalition. • Email: [email protected] • Fax: 020 7253 2599 • Mail: Equalities Coalition, c/o Fawcett Society, 1-3 Berry Street, London EC1V 0AA

Runnymede is a member of the Equalities Coalition and has been lobbying government in support of, among other proposals, a Single Equality Body set up by a Single Equality Act.Also, to stress that new strands covered by the Employment Directive need to be adequately resourced to provide assistance, advice and redress in the interim to those suffering discrimination at work. The Coalition’s Advisory Group currently includes:Age Concern, Equality and Diversity Forum, FAIR, Fawcett, Future Foundation, NBCW,NCVO, Runnymede, Stonewall,TUC,WNC

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 13 This assessment is then to be used to bring people with weaker English-language skills into educational provision.This will be Testing Times regardless of whether or not those with Indefinite Leave to Remain will in the future choose to apply for naturalisation (this could have the effect of extending numbers even further). A swift response by Rob Berkeley to The Applicants for citizenship will be expected to show progress in language skills; there will not be a universal threshold level of New and the Old:The report of the ‘Life in the competence.Those with sufficient English-language skills will CITIZENSHIP United Kingdom’Advisory Group, published be required to attend a short (20-hour) course at a recognised educational institution, or engage in a distance-learning course, September 2003 by the Home Office and sit a short written test.Those with less-developed language Communications Directorate1 – and a skills must show they have improved through existing ESOL qualifications. favourable reaction to its proposals. The Advisory Group does not stop at tests.They recommend the extension of free ESOL courses to all, We see a multicultural society as one made of a diverse removing the 3-year residency requirement in England, range of cultures and identities, and one that emphasises bringing it into line with the rest of the UK.They also the need for a continuous process of mutual engagement recommend the creation of intensive language courses for those and learning about each other with respect, with professional qualifications and a register to enable understanding and tolerance . . . such societies under a employers to contact these professionals.They want everyone framework of common civic values and common legal who may settle in the UK to have access to a publication and political institutions, not only understand and giving advice on where to seek help and providing information tolerate diversities of identity but should also respect on the UK.They argue for a system of approved mentoring, and take pride in them. (para 2.6 p.10) including screening, training, and a recruitment publicity campaign so that all applicants can make contact with receiving The original scepticism with which the communities other than their own.The Group recommends announcement of naturalisation tests was met is severely that citizenship ceremonies include redesigned official challenged by the skilfully written, committed and visionary certificates, local dignitaries, local community groups as well as final report of the ‘Life in the United Kingdom’Advisory friends and families (run by local authorities with central Group.The notion of such tests originally appeared in the government picking up the tab).They also want to encourage Nationality and Immigration Act 2002, and was seen by many more people to become citizens (only 51 percent of those with (myself included) as another barrier to integration, an Indefinite Leave to Remain have become citizens after 11–20 accusation that immigrants were ‘not good enough’, and an years of residency) through an extensive advertising campaign. intervention of state to assimilate new citizens rather than New citizens are also to be offered a small number of free or welcome them and the diversity that they add to UK society. low-cost continuing education classes as an incentive to apply Instead, the group’s report lays out a challenging agenda for for naturalisation. government, statutory and voluntary sectors to respond to.The The report is impressive in terms of the sheer numbers of report includes a series of recommendations that call for a great people that it hopes to engage with better understanding of amount of civic engagement and some considerable investment (active) citizenship.The Advisory Group has clearly seen this as from government to ensure that the processes around the an opportunity to disseminate an understanding of citizenship granting of citizenship and naturalisation contribute to the beyond schools and onto the public agenda.They make no encouragement of community cohesion, and serve to create a excuses for the level of understanding that they expect, and as ‘greater sense of mutual respect, support and belonging’. more young people leave school having experienced a The Report of the Commission on the Future of Multi- citizenship curriculum they hope that there will be a ‘levelling- Ethnic Britain argued for a ‘more ceremonious form of welcome for up’ of active citizenship. new British citizens [to] help everyone reflect on the value of citizenship It is worth considering the impact that this report, were it and to appreciate diversity’.The Advisory Group report agrees to be adopted wholesale by government, might have in terms with this sentiment but extends it to a more than ceremonial of numbers engaged.At least 120,000 applicants for status through the introduction of courses and tests about an naturalisation, plus those with Indefinite Leave to Remain with understanding of citizenship that is more comprehensive than lower levels of English-language skills, 10,000 teachers of can be said to exist among current British citizens. citizenship and ESOL, 120,000 mentors, FE colleges and Adult Nothing about this report is perfunctory, and the extent of Learning institutions, a national advertising campaign, every what is being recommended is surprising in its scope and will local authority, and local schools and community groups be very challenging to deliver. In short, those applying for involved in citizenship ceremonies. naturalisation (after 5 years living in the UK), and those granted The citizenship test is now enshrined in law.The report of 1 Copies of The refugee status who may consider applying for British the Advisory Group takes that test as an opportunity to engage New and the Old citizenship in the future, some 120,000 people each year, are a wide tranche of society in welcoming new citizens. It will be can be obtained required to pass a naturalisation and language test as a condition expensive, possibly more so than Mr Blunkett bargained for, from the Home of being granted citizenship.To get an idea of scale, this is about and it has yet to get past Mr Brown. It will mean a huge Office Social Policy the same number of people who sat GCE A-level last year. amount of capacity building and cannot realistically be Unit, 6th Floor, delivered in the form suggested in the report overnight.Yet,this Apollo House, We recommend, therefore, that all those who have an model may go some way to counter negative conceptions of avenue to Indefinite Leave to Remain are able to access an Wellerley Road, immigration, encourage a wider debate about ‘Britishness’, and English language screening/assessment at public cost at the Croydon CR9 be an effective tool in promoting race equality.A less ambitious earliest possible opportunity. . . In the case of those applying approach might not, and as government prepares to respond to 3RR [email: for entry clearance at United Kingdom posts abroad, ‘the the report we may find ourselves in the position of defending it imran.khan@home earliest possible opportunity’ could be at those posts in its current form, despite our initial concerns about testing in office.gsi.gov.uk]. (emphasis added). the first place. ❑

14 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 Parliamentary Monitor IV Omar Khan considers whether the Government’s constitutional reforms are producing the ‘big ideas’ that might have been expected when the role of Lord Chancellor was brought to an end. GOVERNMENT The most recent shuffle in the Labour communities have better access to Given that a number of organisations, Cabinet attracted a great deal of and understanding of justice in their including professional legal associations, media and public interest, especially country? have supported this measure, it is likely the elimination of the role of Lord to be uncontentious and speedily Chancellor and its incumbent, Derry A Supreme Court implemented. Irvine,Tony Blair’s important ally and for the United Kingdom Further sections of this document first mentor. At the time, the Tory (commenting on CP 11/03 elaborate particular questions policy of attacking Blair for conducting July 2003) regarding the relationship between the constitutional reform ‘on the back of Establishing a Supreme Court is the various regions of the United an envelope’ first succeeded and later most transparently reformist measure Kingdom, the size and tenure of the foundered, following the Prime in these documents, though some court, and the role of the Privy Minister’s accusation that the might argue that it will be less Council. Although these are important Conservative party was merely revolutionary in the actual application questions, the most crucial issue is defending archaic symbols such as the of the law than other suggestions. In probably that of selection or woolsack without offering any positive any case, the government document appointment. Following the model 1 Constitutional statements regarding the reform does an admirable job of clarifying considered below in Constitutional reform: a Supreme measures they might support, if any. constitutional questions, both in Reform: a new way of appointing judges, Court for the Such debate barely touched on the charting the history and development the Government proposes a United Kingdom important issues surrounding the of the law lords and in explaining the Commission that would be able to (CP 11/03, constitutional situation in the United present situation. As the document operate in a transparent way.The available at Kingdom and the necessary reform of notes,‘It is not always understood that essential goal is for a more www.dca.gov.uk/co the relationship between the the decisions of the “House of Lords” representative and thus democratic nsult/supremecour executive, legislative and judicial are in practice decisions of the court, while maintaining current t), Constitutional reform: a new way branches. Now that the post of Lord Appellate Committee and that non- qualifications such as merit and judicial of appointing Chancellor – formerly a member of judicial members of the House never independence.The consultation judges (CP 10/03, the Cabinet, the upper chamber and take part in the judgments’ (11). It document supports a Commission available at www. the judiciary – has been abolished, the further quotes the Chairman of the that would make recommendations to dca.gov.uk/consult/ most serious and obvious anomaly Bar Council:‘Judges should have no a Minister who would then appoint jacommission) and among the three branches of part of the legislature…It is very the judge (see pp. 30–1). Although the Constitutional government has been eliminated. Of difficult to understand why our Minister would only be able to pick reform: the future course, this created an immediate Supreme Court (the law lords) should among very few candidates (perhaps of Queen’s Counsel need to reconsider the role of the be a committee of the second house merely one or two), some will feel (CP 08/03, judiciary in particular, the prime focus of Parliament’. (10) that the Commission should directly available at of the Government’s current attention Though the document does not appoint judges, an option on which www.dca.gov.uk/co and thus the subject-matter for this provide any evidence as such, it seems the Government seeks further views. nsult/qcfuture), all published by the issue’s ‘Parliamentary Monitor’ slot. undeniable that the public is confused In order to maintain the Department of In order to demonstrate its by the role of the law lords as the independence of a future Supreme Constitutional commitment to constitutional highest judges and members of the Court, the document rejects a US- Affairs. restructuring and to counteract upper legislative chamber.The fact that style confirmation process or any suggestions that the cabinet shuffle the law lords sit in a Committee in the means by which the Commons or 2 In the analysis of caused Labour’s reformist zeal, the House of Lords only adds to this Lords could choose judges, particularly these documents Government published three separate confusion, as did the triple role of the since ‘MPs and lay peers would not that follows, I have consultation documents in July 2003.1 Lord Chancellor. For many, their necessarily be competent to assess the benefited greatly Together they argued for a substantial seemingly dual role casts doubt on the appointees’ legal or judicial skills’ (33). from discussing reform of the legal system, focusing on impartiality of decisions made by the Furthermore, prospective Supreme these issues with a Supreme Court to replace the law law lords and ‘the appearance of Court judges should not serve in any members and experts of the lords, a new policy for appointing independence from the legislature’ capacity in the House of Lords, though judicial system, judges, and the future of Queen’s (11), as the document repeatedly they may be recommended for the particularly Lord 2 Counsel respectively. Will our recognizes. According to the peerage once they have reached Lester, though all concerns be reflected in these Government,‘the present situation is retirement age. All in all, these are opinions and any reforms? Will they advance egalitarian no longer sustainable’ and it is time to reasonable recommendations, but it errors that might goals and, in particular, will black and move the UK’s highest court ‘out from will be important to ensure a more appear are my minority ethnic individuals and the shadow of the legislature’ (12). representative body in the future.This, responsibility.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 15 in turn, depends crucially on the review is paragraphs 93–7 concerning fruition, however, it will be necessary appointment of judges more generally the diversity of candidates. that the appointing commission is itself as the potential applicant pool for the The consultation document is clear composed of a diverse staff and of highest court in the country. in stating that the judiciary ‘is currently course knowledgeable of and sensitive not reflective of the society it serves’ to the issue of diversity more broadly. A New Way (45). It also commendably suggests GOVERNMENT of Appointing Judges specific ways in which to improve this The Future (commenting on CP 10/03 scenario, and requests further of Queen’s Counsel July 2003) suggestions, especially in terms of the (commenting on CP 08/03 3 Just published in September 2003, Many members of the public are appointments process. First, however, July 2003) but not able to be probably unaware of how judges are the Government recognizes three Outside the legal profession, many discussed here, chosen. Until 2003, all appointments factors that are ‘significant obstacles to know only that QCs are more are: Reforming the involved various degrees of input from increasing diversity in judicial prestigious legal professionals who also Office of the Lord the Lord Chancellor who ordinarily appointments’ (45), including: seem more likely to wear wigs. In fact, Chancellor (CP 13/03) and Next maintained prime responsibility up to (1) the terms and conditions of QCs play an important role in the Steps for the the level of the law lords.With the judicial office and workloads; judicial system, one that is drawing House of Lords abolition of his post, it is clearly (2) factors affecting the willingness of increased scrutiny and causing some (CP 14.03) from necessary to devise a new way of women and minority ethnic to question its utility. Perhaps the the Department appointing judges, and this document lawyers even to apply for biggest issue is that the appointment of Constitutional 5 Affairs. (CP 10/03) propounds a number of appointment; and of Queen’s counsel is done by the views on the substance and aims of (3) factors affecting retention of Government itself, thus creating a 4 Among others, the process.3 women in the legal profession and potentially enormous conflict of Runnymede has Three motivating points underline difficulties of re-establishing a interest.Therefore, the document recommended the Government’s proposals. First,‘In a career after breaks. proposes a new system for that ‘a Judicial Appointments modern democratic society it is no The above obstacles are probably determining the qualifications of Commission be longer acceptable for judicial familiar to anyone who has worked in advocates without necessarily established to appointments to be entirely in the human resources or dealt with hiring assuming that the current system oversee all hands of a Government Minister’. and promotion policies.The would have to be scrapped altogether. promotions within Second,‘the current judiciary is Government suggests that the At present there are roughly 1150 the magistracy and the higher overwhelmingly white, male, and from traditional pattern of entry into the members of Queen’s Counsel.The judiciary’ CFMEB a narrow social and educational judiciary might be amended so that a background, development and role of (2000) The Future background’.Third,‘the fundamental wider range of competent potential QCs is well summarized in document of Multi-Ethnic principle in appointing judges is and judges is identified.While it does not CP 08/03, but the key distinction is Britain:The Parekh must remain selection on merit’ (3-4). believe in a fully career judiciary, an the rank it bestows upon recipients. Report. London: Profile Books, for The document proposes the option some might worry would The resulting privileges are fairly the Runnymede establishment of an independent check independence in early career, it extensive, but perhaps most significant Trust, p. 135. Judicial Appointments Commission,4 does recommend ‘an identifiable are the ability to charge substantially and describes three possible models: career path’ enabling barristers or higher fees and to engage in more 5 For a good 1. a Commission that directly makes solicitors ‘to apply for a first judicial complicated cases. Any profession account of this issue see Factors appointments; post after a number of years in probably needs to establish expertise affecting the 2. a Commission which would make practice, with a realistic prospect of at least partially on the basis of decision to apply recommendations to a Minister; progression to higher office through efficiency, but critics of the QC system for Silk and judicial 3. a Commission which directly makes that route as an alternative to view it as market distorting. Some office by Kate junior appointments and remaining in practice and entering the even assert that they are able to Malleson and Fareeda Banda. recommends more senior judiciary at the higher level’ (46). determine good advocates Lord Chancellor’s appointments. Some of these changes might also independent of the QC system, which Department, As stated in this consultation, the allow those who have left their can sometimes err in providing a 2000. Government is inclined towards the professions for a career break to quality mark, particularly when 20 or second model, namely a Commission mitigate their lack of experience. Many 30 years have elapsed since the initial that makes recommendations to a of these might be highly competent award. Minister who then selects a candidate judges and the document tentatively Compared to the above two based on the short-list. It also suggests reserving a few places at documents, here the Government proposes a separate Ombudsman and lower judicial levels, though not in a seems much more tentative in spelling that the Commission should be a fully manner that would be contrary to the out its view, merely stating that ‘its independent Non-Departmental principle of merit.While some would continued involvement in the Public Body (see pp. 9–10). Although undoubtedly wish to suggest more appointment of Queen’s Counsel there are a number of concerns with extensive recommendations, it is clear needs strong justification’ (35).While all of these choices, both on questions that the above proposals would the document reviews almost all the of independence and of competence, increase diversity in all levels of the advantages and disadvantages of the the section most relevant to this judiciary. In order for this to come to present system, and stresses the need

16 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 for greater transparency and The present document offers no surrounding them as suspicious. It is objectivity, it does not make any statement on diversity and it is further evident that the Government explicit recommendations. Appendices therefore difficult to make further understands the urgency and chart how similar systems work in suggestions, much less analyse any potentially positive democratic other countries and how quality implications. As a result, it is unclear dividend they might obtain – the marks are determined in other whether abolition, modification or photographic covers of both the professions, though many seem to lack maintaining the status quo would be Judges and Queen’s Counsel GOVERNMENT such standards. It notes that the Law more progressive, at least on the basis documents portray rows or Society in particular is in favour of of this consultation document. processions of mostly elderly white eliminating what it sees as a ‘mark of male judges in full ceremonial garb patronage’ but merely reports such Conclusion and wigs. findings earlier published in In the Although the Labour party in For all this attention, Runnymede, Public Interest, a Government response government is to be commended for other organisations and ordinary (July 2002) to criticisms made of the its initial haste and relative depth in citizens will want to ensure that the Silk system by the Director General explaining its proposed reform of the primary aims of judicial reform are of Fair Trading in March 2001 (in judicial system, without a more not blocked. In other words, we must Competition in Professions). systematic connection to reform of confirm that the reviewed proposals Although the Government is not the executive and legislative branches, are able to expand the understanding actively in favour of retaining the particularly the House of Lords, it is of and access to justice by all quality mark, it seems likely that some unlikely that all of the undemocratic members of society, especially those form will remain, even if appointed by and curious aspects of the from black and minority ethnic a separate agency or commission. constitution will be amended by backgrounds.The complexity of the From the point of view of race and considering judicial reform law and the legal system must not diversity, it will remain important that independently. Nevertheless, it is clear dissuade individuals from insisting on the selection process is able to take that the Government is committed to the representativeness of one of the into account diverse experiences these reforms, even if some will most important organs of a while sustaining commitment to merit. always view the circumstances democratic society. ❑

Challenging Discrimination with International Law

Race, Religion and Ethnicity Discrimination: Using International Human Rights Law Authors: Karon Monaghan, Max du Plessis and Tajinder Malhi Edited by Jonathan Cooper for JUSTICE, London, 2003 Pp. 80; £12; ISBN: 0 907247 37 7 [www.justice.org.uk]

JUSTICE has recently produced this useful booklet – a report which aims to answer basic questions in a very clear and comprehensive way regarding international and European legal instruments that protect individuals from discrimination. Part 1 analyses the importance of international law in challenging discrimination and explains how it can serve equality at the domestic level. It goes over the main concepts of anti-discrimination (direct and indirect discrimination, positive action, etc.) and explains in detail the way international treaties are enforced. Part 2 reviews various international Conventions or Covenants that address, from one direction or another, religious and race discrimination (i.e. Convention for the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights). For each treaty, there is a section that looks at its provisions in relation to religious, ethnic and racial discrimination and how these provisions are enforced, thus providing a useful picture of the range and extent of protection that can be expected from each of these treaties. Part 3 provides the same kind of analysis as Part 2, this time of European treaties that cover racial, ethnic or religious discrimination. This guide is particularly useful for three reasons. First, it takes full account of religious discrimination, and therefore provides an excellent composite of available instruments – the kinds of instruments that can be used, for instance, by UK nationals who experience discrimination on the grounds of religion.This provision is all the more useful since the UK still has no legislation to protect people from religious discrimination as such.A new piece of legislation to be implemented by the end of 2003 will outlaw religious discrimination only in employment and training (and it is worth bearing in mind that this legislation will have been brought into being in response to a European Directive). It is therefore important, with regard to religious discrimination, to have as much information as possible regarding legal recourse outside of domestic legislation. Second, this guide does not limit itself to coverage of only those treaties that most directly affect racial, ethnic and religious discrimination, but goes wider and makes links with treaties such as the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), thereby providing a more comprehensive tool.This allows for a more integrated approach to protection against discrimination, in considering its multiple forms in particular. Finally, it does stress the importance of using international treaties in these areas to hold the UK government to account by including not just the binding treaties that have been incorporated into UK legislation, but also non-binding treaties that still allow for individual petitions.As argued in the book:‘To fail to use [these international human rights treaties] effectively, or to ignore them, means that a rich vein of knowledge and wisdom goes untapped’ (p.68).This publication goes a long way towards making these treaties more accessible and therefore more useful in the fight against racial, religious and ethnic discrimination. Sarah Isal, Runnymede

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 17 CERD welcomes the NGO Shadow Report Non-Governmental Organisations working collectively can make an impact on the outcome NGOs AND of government policies.The successful NGO input to the review of the UK’s 15th and 16th THE CERD periodic report by the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in Geneva (6–7 August) highlights just how this can be done. It also Sarah Isal is shows that the trend for acting at International (or European) level is now firmly established Runnymede’s Research and amongst race equality NGOs as experience proves that it is effective and produces positive Policy Analyst results. Sarah Isal, who was part of the NGO delegation in Geneva, reports on these on Europe. positive outcomes and their significance for the UK.

Background NGO Input CERD’s role is to monitor the implementation and A group of NGOs, led by 1990 Trust and including compliance with the International Convention on the Runnymede, decided prior to the submission in Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination Geneva to draft a shadow report.The shadow report (ICERD), which the UK is signed up to.To that end, it was designed to present an alternative view of the examined the UK Government’s periodic report on progress and the setbacks in the UK since the last the state of UK race equality over 2 days on 6–7 periodic report. Produced as a collection of views from With Gay Moon August 2003. NGOs, the shadow report aimed to broaden the (from JUSTICE), The routine is that after hearing the report picture for CERD members, and offered some who covered presented by the UK Government delegation (made recommendations in key areas: immigration and issues around up of representatives of the Home Office, FCO and asylum, social inclusion, criminal justice and racist legislation as devolved administrations), CERD members raise all attacks and harassment. part of the UK the questions they might have on the government’s Just prior to CERD’s examination of the UK NGO delegation, report.The UK delegation has until the next session Government’s report, we invited CERD members to are CERD (usually the next day) to come back with responses. join us for a briefing meeting where we put forward members Mr Finally, a few weeks later, CERD produces its general specific questions we urged them to raise with the UK Agha Shahi conclusions, all of which have to be taken into Government during their examination. Although our (Pakistan) and account by the UK Government when producing its report was exhaustive and we were sure that all Ms Patricia next periodic report. members had received a copy, we needed to select a Nozipho January- This is what government has to do.The question is number of issues that could be raised specifically with Bardill (South how NGOs can contribute to that process.This year’s those members attending our briefing. Eight of us gave Africa) on the Geneva experience provided an excellent example of evidence on the following subjects: right-hand side. strategic NGO input: network and alliance building, - Legislation Photo by effective lobbying and monitoring the results in the - Political participation Robin Allen interim until the next report falls due. - World Conference Against Racism follow-up - Education - Immigration and asylum - Racial harassment - Deaths in custody - Racist elements of the anti-terrorist activities - Gypsies and Travellers - The situation in Northern Ireland. These issues were obviously of interest to the members present, as they raised various questions and points of clarification, particularly around the complexity of UK discrimination legislation.

CERD Examination We did not have to wait long to note the impact of our briefing on the Committee members. Introducing the session by means of a summary of questions put to the UK Government delegation, the Committee’s rapporteur questioned the government on all the

18 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 Summary of CERD recommendations echoing NGO demands in the shadow report CERD Conclusions CERD Recommendations Asylum

Media reporting exacerbates hostility towards asylum seekers – To consider further how the Press Complaints Commission could failure of the Press Complaints Commission to deal with this be made more effective and could be further empowered to issue consider complaints received from the Commission for Racial Equality as well as other groups or organisations working in the field of race relations.

Increasing numbers of attacks on asylum seekers, worrying in To adopt further measures and intensify its efforts to counter themselves, have in turn helped to sustain support for extremist racial tensions generated through asylum issues, inter alia by political opinions developing public education programmes and promoting positive images of ethnic minorities, asylum seekers and immigrants, as well as measures making the asylum procedures more equitable, efficient and unbiased. Legislation

Lack of an adequate body to enforce the Human Rights Act To consider establishing a Human Rights Commission empowered with comprehensive competence to review complaints of human rights violations.

Concern around the implementation of the European Race and To consider introducing a single comprehensive law to cover all Employment directives which has led to inconsistencies in the grounds of discrimination equally. legislation and different levels of protection according to the grounds of discrimination

Concern that Article 19D of the Race Relations Amendment To reformulate or repeal Article 19D. Act 2000, which makes it lawful for immigration officers to discriminate on the basis of nationality or ethnic origin, does not comply with the Convention

Deep concerns about the provisions of the Anti-Terrorism To ensure that measures taken in the struggle against terrorism Crime and Security Act, which provide for the indefinite do not discriminate in purpose or effect on grounds of race, detention without charge or trial, pending deportation, of non- colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin in accordance to UK nationals who are suspected of terrorism-related activities. Committee’s statement of 8 March 2002 Stop and Search

Concern around the disproportionate numbers of ‘stop and To implement effectively its decision to ensure that every ‘stop search’ actions involving black and minority ethnic individuals and search’ is recorded and a copy of the record form given to the person concerned.The Committee invites the State Party to address this issue in more detail in its next periodic report Religious Discrimination Concern around the lack of protection against religious To give early consideration to the extension of the crime of discrimination for certain communities, particularly in light of the incitement to racial hatred to cover offences motivated by growth in Islamophobia religious hatred Religious Discrimination Concern about the discrimination faced by To develop further appropriate modalities of communication and Roma/Gypsies/Travellers dialogue between Roma/Gypsy/Traveller communities and central authorities.To adopt national strategies and programmes with a view to improving the situation of the Roma/Gypsies/Travellers in respect of discrimination by State bodies, persons or organisations. Religious Discrimination

CERD commended the UK government’s efforts to prepare a To take into account the relevant parts of the Durban National Plan of Action against Racism, in consultation with Declaration and Programme of Action, and to include in its next NGOs, in pursuance of the recommendations of the 2001 periodic report updated information on the action plan that it is World Conference against Racism. in the process of drafting in order to implement the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action at national level. Civil Society To consult with organisations of civil society working in the area of combating racial discrimination and during the preparation of the next periodic report.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 19 issues we had highlighted for CERD members in our (Amendment) Act of 2000, the setting up of the briefing, at times directly quoting from the NGO Community Cohesion Unit) it also raised concerns shadow report. Legislation, asylum policy, and made recommendations around a wide range of Gypsy/Traveller communities, deaths in custody, issues, including media reporting, consistency of religious discrimination – these are just a few examples approach on discrimination legislation, the persistence of the questions raised by committee members. of Islamophobia and of discrimination against Gypsies POLITICS In addition, throughout the question session, and Travellers.These recommendations are IN EUROPE members commended the NGO report and summarised in the table on page 19. welcomed the NGOs’ collective contribution to their work.We were told personally by some of them that What Next? this was an invaluable contribution to their work and How will NGOs keep in touch with this process in helped them in their scrutiny of the UK Government’s the short and the long term? report.This process was crucial in confirming a trend - First, the coalition that went to Geneva needs to of good working relationships between CERD and UK regularly monitor how the UK government community organisations. CERD clearly welcomes an intends to implement CERD’s conclusions. alternative view that presents it with concrete - Second, in response to CERD’s recommendation suggestions as to the recommendations it can then to government that it should advertise CERD and pass on to the UK Government. As for NGOs the process as widely as possible, NGOs should themselves, it represents a useful way to channel their make themselves part of this attempt to bring demands to decision-makers. Furthermore, the these institutional mechanisms closer to the briefing process does encourage the government to community.This effort has already started with take NGO views on board when those views have publication of the shadow report, but it is been taken up seriously by the CERD members important to rally more interest around CERD for themselves. the next report stage in 3 years’ time. - Third, it is worth using the shadow report as a CERD Conclusions lobbying document at national and local level, The concluding observations of CERD on the UK particularly since it was so well received and used report, published 2 weeks after the session, echoed by CERD members. the NGO report in many ways.Whilst CERD - Finally, NGOs have to ensure that they get fully welcomed the positive aspects of the government’s consulted when the next UK Government report actions to fight racism (e.g. the Race Relations is prepared for CERD, due in 3 years’ time. ❑ UKREN Management Committee [top] Sarah Isal talks with Khalid Hussain and brings Europe to West Yorkshire [below] Anja Rudiger (RHS) is In a bid to strengthen UKREN’s links with local European Network Against Racism (ENAR) has been in conversation community organisations, the newly elected lobbying on behalf of ENAR to ensure that the draft with Maureen Grant (JRCT) at Management Committee (MC) met in Bradford on Constitution put together by the Convention includes the Bradford Monday 22 September.This meeting was followed by strong references to fighting racism and discrimination; meeting a local seminar bringing together 40 local organisations she gave a clear account of the relevance of this to discuss recent future Constitution to local race equality NGOs. European Khalid Hussain of Kirklees Race Equality Council and developments relevant Paul Mezaros of Bradford Resource Centre both gave to their work. Hosted local perspectives on, respectively, religious by the Joseph discrimination and the rise of the far right, detailing the Rowntree Charitable way these issues affect communities in West Yorkshire. Trust, the meeting was The discussion that followed was not only useful and successful in looking at interesting in relation to the issues raised but was also three timely issues, an opportunity for UKREN Management Committee both locally and in members present to interact with local community Europe, namely the groups that are often interested in the European work Convention on the but who sometimes still fail to be convinced of its Future of Europe, relevance to their activities.This meeting surely helped religious fill that gap.The next meeting of the Management discrimination, and the Committee will take place in Scotland, where a similar rise of the far right. event will be organised to continue reinforcing the Sophie de role of UKREN regionally. ❑ Jonckheere, policy Sarah Isal is Runnymede’s Research and Policy Analyst manager at the on Europe.

20 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 Health, Race and Community An Appraisal of Some Recent Publications

Relationships, Sex and Marriage Racism in the Medical Migration and HIV: Improving for Muslims, Christians and all Profession:The experience of lives in Britain COMMUNITY Faith Communities in UK graduates All Party Parliamentary Group Tower Hamlets Lorelei Cooke, Susan Halford, on AIDS Tower Hamlets PCT Pauline Leonard July 2003 September 2002 BMA, June 2003 [www.appg-aids.org.uk] [020 7377 7919] [www.bma.org.uk] ISBN 0 9534418 2 2

Runnymede has been developing culture and religious beliefs help to support young people its work over the recent period can have a major influence. in making informed choices. In with a view to examining further a summer in which the NHS the themes that arose from the The report is an account of their has been characterised as report of the Commission on the attempts to better understand insensitive to the needs of its Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain.This the different dynamics that patients from minority approach draws together strands operate within and between ethnic communities (A black that are common across the communities and to offer woman who has to have a public services, politics and concrete advice for practitioners foot amputated was told she citizenship, which impact on the in dealing with difference in order could only have a white lives of people and communities to promote equality.The project artificial limb unless she was in the UK and elsewhere.The aimed to work with faith groups prepared to pay extra – Guardian publication of these three reports on a Teenage Pregnancy Strategy 25/08/03) this report suggests highlights the salience of this and develop a sustainable that some parts of the approach, since in their pages we process, in order to improve their organisation are responding with can see the relationships between work. more empathy and insight. policy-making, service delivery Identifying key people from and our understandings of the faith communities and engaging How about the training? actions necessary to deliver a with them in a positive discussion However, the report published by successful multi-ethnic Britain. around relationships, sex and the BMA into the experiences of marriage were the core aims of Black and minority ethnic UK Supporting young people the project.The discussion graduates in the medical Tower Hamlets Teenage appears to have been successful profession suggests that there are Pregnancy Programme published and elicited a range of frank views still some major areas of concern a report of their deliberations which they report, including the for the NHS.The report is of a and activity in support of the need to work with parents, the study of 476 UK trained doctors young people of Tower Hamlets appropriateness of the location who graduated in 1995.The in East London so that they and availability of contraception, research found that: should ‘be in a position to make the need for improved informed life choices about consultation, and the support and In the population of UK whether and when to become capacity building required for graduates, racism is manifest parents’. A laudable aim, but one faith-based organisations to in access to training and which they approach with a contribute to sexual health careers, and in norms of degree of sophistication, initiatives.The report includes acceptable behaviour.The recognising that in a multi-ethnic, insights from a number of faith- system is sustained by the multi-faith society, a one-size fits based organisations, workshop reluctance of trainees to all approach will be ineffective. reports and a series of complain and the widely They note that nationally the recommendations. held view within the teenage pregnancy rates are The project is an example of profession that problems higher for African-Caribbean, the sensitivity required to offer encountered by trainees Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups services which recognise from an ethnic minority are than for white ethnic groups, and difference in order to promote due to valid reasons such as equality.The extensive ‘not understanding English that sexual experience differs consultation and involvement of culture’. according to different faith-based organisations in policy communities, and that their development in this area can only The report pulls no punches in its

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 21 reporting of the feelings of frustration and isolation that Black A review of Complementing Teachers: and minority ethnic medical By Saroj Bell,Assistant Head-teacher at a primary school1 graduates display, and offers recommendations for change. My interest in promoting Race Equality in schools comes from While the racisms in operation having two mixed-race children and also from a strong belief that COMMUNITY are recognised not just by all children need to be taught about different ethnic groups in a doctors from Black and minority natural and continuous way rather than via random lessons under ethnic communities but also the title of ‘Multicultural Education’. In my 17 years of teaching, I by their white colleagues, the know that children of all ages like the challenge of learning new fear of jeopardising future things, provided that they are presented in an enthusiastic, career prospects makes creative and exciting way.Young children are our best tools for taking action to redress the creating a tolerant and truly multicultural society.Teachers owe it problems difficult. to our country to facilitate this in order to improve racial The BMA are to be understanding and thereby create a safe and happy place for praised for publishing a everyone who lives here. report that is none too Complementing Teachers provides schools with advice on policy complimentary about documentation as well as practical ways in which to organise and some of its members. It manage school in order to provide equal opportunities for all suggests that the will to children. However, the book is not aimed entirely at Senior change is there, and that Managers and Governors, as the bulk of actual teaching happens professional bodies and unions in the classroom where teachers have the biggest impact.Teachers The Conference can be key players in challenging are the most important resource schools have.Teachers ‘From Closed attitudes within professions and themselves must acknowledge this and work with confidence and Doors to Open promoting positive change. pride to use their skills to help create a racially aware and Minds: Improving understanding society. Mental Health Health issues for immigrants As a Year 2 teacher, I have used the book within my school Services for Black and The political debate about asylum Minority Ethnic and immigration has continued Communities’ unabated over the summer with took place in policy launches from the Manchester on Conservative party and certain We have never had a single trade negotiations and increased 15–16 sections of the broadcast media letter from NASS (National long-term support to fight AIDS. September, maintaining their unrelenting Asylum Support Services) convened by the pressure. Healthcare does not Activity under way Afiya Trust. On escape this agenda.The Cabinet Both the stigma associated These examples suggest that 18 September a Office is currently conducting an with living with HIV/AIDS and the there is a great deal of activity to Conference on inquiry into ‘Imported Infections’ difficulties that asylum seekers be undertaken to support the the ‘Healthcare of Asylum (not taking evidence from outside may have in accessing healthcare notion that ‘people must be Seeker and of government), and increasingly and in particular treatment for treated equally but also with regard Refugee there are calls to screen all sexual health problems are to real differences of experience, Women’ was immigrants for HIV and examined in the report. background and perception’ held in tuberculosis. In response to these It concludes with a set of (CFMEB), and that this activity is Westminster, pressures the All-Party recommendations for already starting. In September endorsed by the Parliamentary group on AIDS government that reject calls for two major conferences focused Refugee Council conducted an inquiry into mandatory testing in favour of on the healthcare of asylum and chaired by ‘Migration and HIV’.The Group ‘policies which encourage HIV seeker and refugee women, and Naaz Coker, took evidence on four occasions testing for the purpose of on improving mental health Chair of the from experts from the statutory ensuring more effective access to services for people from Black Refugee Council. and voluntary sectors. treatment’. It also argues for and minority ethnic communities. Conference As might be anticipated, the exemption from detention The principles set out by the follow-up dispersal system came in for a centres and more sensitive report of the Commission on the information range of criticisms, especially treatment in terms of benefits Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain, should be regarding the dispersal of people and dispersal for individuals with which include balancing cohesion, sought from living with HIV/AIDS. An HIV serious communicable diseases. equality and difference, challenging these two clinician is quoted as commenting: Finally, the group recognises the racism, and building a pluralistic respective international dimension of the human rights culture, are shown organisations. Many of our patients who are AIDS pandemic and encourages by this work to be relevant in dispersed we have never government to work with healthcare as in most other areas been officially notified about. developing countries through of public life. ❑

22 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 A practical guide to promoting race equality in schools

and to teach a lesson on Hindu temples in a friend’s We then shared the blessed food (parsad).The school in Derbyshire.The Key Stage 1 RE curriculum OFSTED inspector could not think of any way in requires children to learn about places of worship. which the lesson could have been improved as it had The lesson plan on page 124 addresses this learning held a difficult class spellbound.The children were EDUCATION objective and, after reading it, I rang up a temple in eager to learn and to share their previous knowledge Wolverhampton to seek permission to video and through questions and answers. photograph the building and useful artefacts within it. In my own school, I share with the Year 3 classes my 1 Saroj Bell is The Brahmin was very supportive and eager to experiences of travel to India.They study Chembakolli, Assistant Head- share his knowledge so that children in less ethnically a village in Southern India as part of their geography teacher at William diverse schools are introduced to other faiths in our curriculum, so it is particularly important that they Shrewsbury country. Even now, I hear the voices of those who discover India to be much more diverse than just that Primary School, say:‘we don’t need it in our school because we don’t one example. I take along photographs, visual aids and Stretton, Burton- have Black/Asian children here’! These are the very a home video to show them other parts of India. on-Trent DE14 schools that do need it because they have fewer The maths lesson plan on page 86 can be further 2HE, Staffs. Mrs opportunities to learn and understand other faiths. extended for PSHE by tasting and enjoying fruits from Bell is keen to With my photographs, video and artefacts other countries, which can then lead on increase the assembled, I delivered a lesson on Hindu temples to straightforwardly to artefacts from other countries – amount of work in both Year 2 classes at Woodville Infant School, who clothes, for example. It is important not to teach her school that were in the middle of an OFSTED inspection.The anything in isolation, as children understand best when relates to issues of lesson included an introduction to some of my they can link one area to another. racial equality and artefacts, a song and the 8-minute videotape of the Motivated children bring lots of enthusiasm to the multi-ethnicity, and temple building.This was followed by an ‘Indian style’ classroom, and we as teachers must use this to would be pleased prayer, listening to Arti (part of a religious ceremony) enhance their learning and help to create a coherent to hear from music and lighting a diwa (candle) and incense sticks. multi-racial society. ❑ other teachers in less ethnically diverse schools.

Complementing Teachers: A Project Update

There have been two clear strands of development in Both courses drew on key features of relation to Complementing Teachers, following its Complementing Teachers.They used a range of launch in May 2003. As part of the first strand, practical exercises aimed at stimulating debate around Runnymede’s Education Researcher, Nicola Rollock, the use of language, pertaining to different ethnic has been working with Granada Learning, the book’s groups and examining political interventions publishers, and a number of external agencies to associated with the history of race and ensure that the publication reaches its target education.There was also an opportunity to audience. develop lesson plans and schemes of work that The second strand has involved a pilot of Teacher reflected culturally diverse topics.These will be Development Courses, which took place in June in added to the new Runnymede website in due course. Nicola Rollock collaboration with the teachers’ union the NASUWT. Feedback from course participants and members These were a tremendous success.Two events, aimed of the NASUWT’s Equal Opportunities Committee, separately at primary and secondary teachers, were who also attended the training, was extremely held at NASUWT headquarters in Birmingham, and a positive and Runnymede aims to collaborate third event, aimed at Newly Qualified Teachers with other external agencies to extend the (NQTs), is scheduled for early in 2004. training regionally. ❑

September’s issue of Teachers has carried positive reviews of Complementing Teachers in both its primary and secondary issues.The Resources page leads on ‘What is teaching diversity?’, and refers those seeking help in this area to the NASUWT, the CRE and Runnymede. In the reviews themselves Keith Gregson (secondary) comments that ‘Classroom practitioners will be pleased to see that half the book is dedicated to suggestions for actual lessons’; and Paul Thomas (primary) says that ‘the thinking and ideas within the book need to be developed across a whole school to be effective. It certainly provoked a lot of discussion within the staffroom and has made me challenge my own feelings and thoughts on an area which many people, not just within education, find very difficult’. [www.teachernet.gov.uk]

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 23 The Complexity of Underachievement

Girls and Exclusion: Rethinking the Agenda Audrey Osler and Kerry Vincent REVIEWS London: Routledge/Falmer, 2003 Pp. xviii + 202. ISBN: 0 415 30316 8 (pbk) Reviewed by Rob Berkeley, Runnymede Summer brings the now annual ritual of praising and both high and low lambasting our education system for failure – either exams deprivation.They are getting easier or pupils are not as clever as we were in our interviewed 81 girls of secondary school age, respective days – while government ministers do the round including girls who had been subject to exclusion, were at of studio interviews attempting to give credit where it is due. risk of exclusion, and those who were deemed not to be A new strain of this ritual has developed over recent at risk.A smaller number of parents were interviewed as years – the problem with boys.While boys were achieving were service providers in schools, pupil referral units, at higher rates than girls at GCSE and A-level there was colleges and educational psychology teams. little media attention, almost as if this were a natural state Foregrounding in this way the experience of girls in of affairs.As girls have begun to do better than boys, talk is relation to schools makes the research illuminating and increasingly of a crisis. Government has responded by powerful in its conclusions.The girls’ accounts of their seeking to address boys’ underachievement, encouraging a relationships with peers, with boys, and with authority range of initiatives to make the curriculum more ‘male figures show how school cultures lead to gender based friendly’. differences in treatment for similar behaviours.They also The debate about exclusions from school is also used as show some of the unique pressures the girls feel evidence of the ‘problem with boys’, and the evidence is themselves to be under. Caring responsibilities, pregnancy, clear that boys are more likely than girls to be subject to sexual vulnerability, low expectations and drug/alcohol formal disciplinary exclusion. However, exclusion from use, are all discussed as barriers to achievement which have school is about more than formal disciplinary exclusions. a particular impact on girls. As Paul Ratcliffe argues: The research also highlights the lack of provision for girls in services designed for those excluded or at risk of a pupil is ‘excluded’ from school or is not.Taking a exclusion from school. It points to the manner in which rather broader perspective, this is clearly not the the prevailing discourse about boys has led to girls being same thing as being excluded from ‘education’; it marginalised in the styles of provision offered. is only the (admittedly rather extreme) tip of the Helpfully, the research concludes with a succinct list of iceberg . . . research into the very visible (and thus appropriate actions for schools and policy-makers to adopt intrinsically more ‘measurable’) ills of the in light of the research findings, for which the authors education system should not deflect attention deserve credit.Too often the complexity of research away from the more subtle forms of ‘social findings is left for the policy-makers to decipher for exclusion’, which may or may not feature within themselves, Osler and Vincent make clear what impact explanations of physical exclusion.1 their findings should have on policy. While the research does not focus specifically on ‘race’, Exclusion from school affects more pupils than those it does include a number of interesting findings regarding reported in annual figures.Alongside permanent the experiences of girls from minority ethnic exclusions, there are fixed-term exclusions, others are communities, including feelings of racial injustice, negative unofficially excluded, and yet others are subject to in- stereotyping and lack of understanding.The current school exclusions. Others may engage in forms of self- format of reporting exclusion figures nationally, while exclusion, including truanting. Using this wider including ‘race’ and gender, does not include the two conception of exclusion, it becomes clear that exclusion is together. Locally collected evidence does suggest that not just a problem with boys, but also for girls. similar disproportionalities are occurring in relation to 1 P.Ratcliffe One in four permanent exclusions in years 9 and 10 African-Caribbean girls as boys. (1999) ‘Race’, (on the verge of sitting public school-leaving Runnymede remains interested in looking at the Education and the examinations) are of girls: 10,000 girls were permanently incidence of exclusions from school. Osler and Vincent discourse of excluded from English schools in the 5 years between have shown that the complexity of this phenomenon “exclusion”: A 1995 and 1999.These facts make Osler and Vincent’s study should not be understated and that the challenge that it critical research a significant contribution to our understanding of represents for schools and policy-makers remain relevant. note’, Race, exclusions from school. In order to enable schools to respond to the needs of all Ethnicity and The authors carried out a qualitative study in six children, the authors are right to argue that we need to Education 2(1). sample areas, covering urban and rural areas, and areas of ‘rethink the agenda’. ❑

24 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 Broken Windows Need Fixing

East Enders: Family and Community in East London Katharine Mumford and Anne Power POLITICS Bristol: Policy Press, 2003 IN EUROPE £19.99 (pbk) ISBN: 1 86134 497 X from Marston Book Services [email: [email protected]]

Reviewed by This is a study of families living in two small districts of east need of moral and London, one in the borough of Hackney, the other in practical support.This Kate Gavron, Newham.The book should be read by those involved in local is particularly the case in districts such Runnymede government policy and practice, in particular by those dealing as the one in Hackney, where added pressure is put on housing Trustee with housing policy, housing allocation and urban regeneration. by gentrification and the Right-to-Buy scheme, which has One hundred families were interviewed in 1999 and 92 taken much of the most desirable social housing into the were re-interviewed approximately one year later.Almost all private market. the interviewees were mothers, as the authors were The authors were also interested in perceptions of local investigating subjects of importance to families with children.A improvements (and deterioration) during the period of the large majority were tenants in social housing and 45% were research, including the effect (if any) of policies and investment lone parents. By most measures both districts have high levels following the arrival of the Labour government in 1997.This of deprivation, including the predictable Inner London book shows that the government can take some comfort from problems of housing shortage, lack of leisure facilities, crime, the results of its policies in several respects. These have always relatively high unemployment and, strikingly, generally been deprived neighbourhoods relative to much of London, yet dilapidated environments. many of the residents have noticed substantial improvements as In a Runnymede conference about social cohesion in 2002, a direct consequence of government policy. In particular, Anne Power described research on housing in Bradford which improvements have been noted in schools and in showed the role of housing policy in the creation of an refurbishments to the built environment. ethnically segregated housing pattern, and the desire of all However, deteriorations in the quality of life have also been communities that residence should be less ghettoised and more observed and experienced in the same short period, noticeably mixed.The only disappointment that readers of this Bulletin a perceived increase in crime, drug use and, in the Newham might feel in this excellent book is the rather limited analysis of district, car theft, break-ins, joyriding and vandalism. One of the experience by ethnicity. It would have been interesting to see themes of the book is support for the ‘broken window theory’ more detailed analysis by ethnicity of knowledge of and (Kelling 1996),2 which describes attitudes to drugs, crime, the use of parks and state benefits, for example. In particular, it might have been revealing to make the inability of the community and of public bodies to more comparisons between the two areas, as one is a celebrated stamp on and put right the small abuses such as multi-ethnic part of London whereas the other is historically vandalism, graffiti, disrepair and litter.This then generates something of a ‘white enclave’ within an exceptionally ethnically more general “incivilities” which can spin out of control and mixed borough, known for its high level of racist incidents. become pervasive signals for a tolerance of crime However, there is an interesting section on race and (Mumford and Power: 227) community relations, which is by and large encouraging about the good relations that prevail between different groups of Apart from serious crime, the general degradation of the people brought into contact with one another daily in schools, environment is tacitly accepted within ‘a general acquiescence doctors’ surgeries, shopping districts and the like, with the in the unstoppability of many such acts’.The authors are caveat that there appears to be a near-universal resentment, in persuasive on the need for a greater presence on the street and all ethnic groups, of newly arrived refugees and asylum-seekers. in parks of local authority officials, described here as having This leads on to one of the principal questions of the book, ‘caring custodial roles’, in order to avoid a spiral of decay by which is how local authorities can protect communities of which parks littered with dog mess and old needles and residents who are so heavily dependent on the mutual support occupied by undesirables of all sorts are abandoned by the very given by family and neighbours, and at the same time fulfil people who need them most: mothers and small children living statutory requirements to house and care for those who are in flats without private open space.There is also considerable 1 M.Young and P most needy, including socially disruptive families and refugees. potential for locally based social entrepreneurs to improve the One result of these requirements, the authors suggest, is that environment, with support from the local authorities. Willmott (1957) deprived areas are perceived as increasingly undesirable and Above all, this book is asking for respect for the value to Family and Kinship those who can move away do so, leaving behind them the society of long-term mutually supportive communities, which in East London. poorest, the least employed and those most likely to be can be successfully multi-cultural, as the example of the Harmondsworth, dependent on support themselves, both from the state and from Hackney district shows, and for government and local Middx: Penguin. their local community.This is shown by the fact that so many authorities to work with policies that will carry the goodwill of of the authors’ interviewees are keen to move from their area their residents.When it comes to decisions on housing the despite the recent improvements they have noticed. most needy and vulnerable, the authors say ‘community consent 2 G. L. Kelling, C. Power and Mumford acknowledge the prophetic writing of is vital and has, in fact, been overlooked by public housing M. Coles, and J. Q. Young and Willmott (1957)1when they described the probable authorities’.The most needy, which includes many from Wilson (1996) consequences of shattering the old working-class community of minority ethnic groups, must be housed successfully for the Fixing Broken Bethnal Green, situated geographically between the two sake of the whole community, new and old.This cannot districts described in this book. Much of what they anticipated happen if too many of the existing residents feel newcomers Windows. New has happened, including the unhappy results of splitting up are receiving scarce resources at the expense of their own York: Simon & extended families at the stage when young mothers are most in entitlements.This is the challenge for policy-makers. ❑ Schuster.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 25 Testimony was followed by celebration as The Stone You’re welcome? Ashdown ‘Welcome to Britain Award’ was presented to Dr Elizabeth Olayokun In celebration of her re-qualification as a doctor. Elizabeth is now allowed to be a doctor to A remarkable meeting was held in early July to reflect on patients in Britain, 10 years after qualifying as a doctor, the contribution of asylum seekers to Britain.Asylum and 9 years after coming to seek asylum in Britain.The voices 1933 to 2003, sponsored by Runnymede and The award was presented by the actor Nicholas Bailey (Dr Stone Ashdown Trust (with the Council of Imams and Trueman in BBC’s Eastenders). REVIEWS Mosques (UK), the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, Dr Olayokun reflected: and the Churches’ Commission for Racial Justice) listened to the testimony of different generations of asylum ‘To those who think asylum seekers are a problem (LÐR) Baroness seekers.The life stories encountered were both moving in this country, I want to say that we are human Uddin, Nicholas and empowering for all who attended. Bailey, Dr beings, not useless people. Many asylum seekers The meeting was hosted by Oona King MP who are highly educated and have often achieved Richard Stone commented; (Runnymede great things in our own countries.We are in need trustee) and Dr of help, yes, it is very hard for us, but we have a Elizabeth ‘We must welcome asylum seekers genuinely lot to contribute to our new home. Please give us Olayokun fleeing persecution - after all, we would expect a chance.’ together at sanctuary if the tables were turned, and we had ‘Asylum Voices 1933 to 2003’ faced the horrors they have.’ The meeting heard more about the routes into the medical professions for asylum seekers and the threat posed to the UEB, the most suitable route for many, through a current lack of funding. Baroness Pola Uddin noted the importance of meetings of this type, commenting:

‘it is important that the facts on asylum seekers are heard and the valuable contributions that asylum seekers have made and continue to make in this country are publicised.’ ❑

A New Antisemitism? Debating Judeophobia in 21st-century Britain Edited by Paul Iganski and Barry Kosmin London: Profile Books, for the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, 2003 x + 318pp. £14.99. ISBN 1 86197 651 8

Is antisemitism on the rise in Britain? If yes, what forms is it Although this topic has been taking? Does it have anything in common with the historical much talked about and debated in antisemitism that Jewish communities have faced over the last other European countries such as 2000 years or is it taking a new form today? If so, how does it Belgium and France, it has not manifest itself? been so widely aired in Britain, This recent publication from the Institute for Jewish Policy partly because the manifestations Research explores these questions through a collection of have been neither so numerous contributions by academics, journalists and other experienced nor so visible.This publication and skilled communicators.The editors, between their citation sets out to fill an analytical gap by examining the potential of Sir Isaiah Berlin’s reflection on the longevity of Jewish resurgence of ‘old fashioned’ antisemitism coupled with the rise of identity – ‘they are aware of a longer continuity as a a new form of ‘elite’ antisemitism amongst some sections of the community than are any other which has survived’ – and the media, churches, trade unions, universities, etc. discredited notion of ‘race’ per se, introduce discussion of Seventeen contributors discuss modern expressions of whether a conflated term such as ‘antisemitism’ can speak for a antisemitism in the key contexts of Manifestations, Media, Politics situation in which its contemporary use more closely and Religion. Under ‘Analysis’, the editors bring together the describes ‘fear and dislike of Jews: just as xenophobia is used to threads of the argument in an exposition of how the ‘new refer to the fear and dislike of foreigners’ (p.8). Should it now antisemitism’ can be seen to reflect more than post-1945 fears of be replaced by a new analytical concept of ‘judeophobia’? genocidal victimisation. ❑

The UNITED for Intercultural Action group have designated 9 November 2003 as a Europe-wide International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism.The campaign slogan ‘Who shall we blame now?’ draws attention to the need to combat persistent tendencies within our societies to seek out and manufacture scapegoats from amongst minorities in order not to lack a societal or national focus for fear and hatred. [unitedagainstracism.org]

26 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 Asylum Voices: Experiences of people seeking asylum in the United Kingdom Edited by Dr Andrew Bradstock and Revd Arlington Trotman London: CTBI Publications, 2003 xiv + 74 pages. £6.95 (pbk). ISBN: 085169-287-7 [www.chbookshop.co.uk]

Personal accounts and testimonies are often the most 3.The UK gets the REVIEWS powerful and effective way to dispel myths about situations biggest share of aggravated by stereotypes and distorted by inaccurate media asylum-seekers who reporting, electoral ambitions or fear and ignorance.The choose to come here Reviewed by asylum debate (if one can call it a debate given its hysterical rather than to Sarah Isal, and irrational tone) provides the best example of this today. another European Runnymede In this context, the latest CTBI publication, Asylum Voices,is country a welcome addition to this debate, one that allows asylum- Forgetting that the UK seekers themselves to speak and thereby provide a very is only in 8th place in Europe for the number of asylum different picture from that propagated in the media. applications per head of population, interviewees stressed For this publication, people seeking asylum in the UK that most of the time they do not have a choice of were interviewed. Initial examination of the sample itself destination.This is decided by the agent they paid to provides interesting findings: of the 146 people arrange the transfer.‘When I left Iraq, I expect to go to a interviewed, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan were the three country no wars, no kill, no bloody. Europe, I think it is largest nationalities represented.This emphasises the link my choice. I can’t explain everything, just I say I wanted between the UK government’s foreign policy and its to save my life and come to Europe. If I hadn’t problems impact on asylum being sought in the UK.Another in my country I didn’t leave my family. I miss them interesting observation from the sample is the qualification now… I didn’t know I was coming to British.When the status of interviewees: 43 were professionally qualified, 5 police catch us inside the lorry they speak English and I were doctors, 8 were teachers. None of the doctors or asked them,“Is this British or not?” He said,“Yes,you teachers was working, as UK law forbids an asylum-seeker speak English or not?” I say,“Yes,just a little”’(Iraqi to work whilst his/her application is being processed, thus Kurd; p.20). creating ‘a picture of enormous human and social waste’ It is also true that interviewees generally have an (p. 52). image of the UK as a country famous for upholding When reading the testimonies of asylum-seekers, one Human Rights and favouring multiculturalism, which realises how much of their plight is imposed upon them by leads them to believe that they will be more welcome in external factors, from the moment they leave their country the UK than in some other possible destinations.‘I had of origin to the moment they arrive in the UK, waiting for heard many good things about the UK – that the their application to be processed. government is generous, receptive to persecuted people’ This book is useful in challenging some of the myths (Afghan student)’ (p. 19). peddled in particular by the tabloid press: After the trauma of the journey, the book goes on to 1. Most asylum-seekers come to the UK by choice and for explore the ordeal of asylum-seekers during the process economic reasons of applying for asylum (i.e. arrival, interviews, legal The interviews conducted by the authors point to a advice, et) and the horrors of detention. Finally, it different story: most asylum seekers they spoke with did examines their experiences in finding work, shelter, and not leave their country by choice.‘Almost invariably, what generally trying to live with dignity in an environment drove them to leave was fear – fear for their lives, for their that makes them dependent and powerless. safety, for their future, for their children’s future, fear that When reading asylum-seekers’ testimonies, it becomes life would be cut short, blighted, wasted’ (p. 1). very clear that asylum policy, practice and legislation in the UK are inadequate, insensitive and, at times, in clear 2.Asylum-seekers come to the UK to claim benefits and work breach of Human Rights.This was recently exemplified 1 ‘Asylum policy Perhaps the most powerful argument against this statement in a High Court ruling that the denial of support to an is made by these Kurdish refugees:‘We are coming here asylum-seeker who failed to claim refugee status degrading, high because we had political problems, not for the money… immediately on entering Britain amounted to ‘inhuman court rules’, The Each person coming here pays $5–$6000 [to agents].This is and degrading treatment’.1 Asylum Voices proves this in a Guardian, 1 August enough to live on sitting at home without work for 5 to sometimes depressing, yet vibrant, personal and deeply 2003. 10 years’ (p. 21). effective way. ❑

At its launch at Portcullis House the Revd Arlington Asylum in the UK – An IPPR fact file Trotman, Secretary of the Churches’ Commission on Racial Justice, said that the anthology was aimed at policy-makers: The Institute for Public Policy Research has recently produced an ‘And especially we want the media to read it because the excellent fact file of objective and evidence-based information on media are responsible for so much misinformation about asylum in the UK. It addresses and answers key questions on the asylum-seekers, labelling them as faceless, bogus cheats’, he asylum debate, such as:‘Where do asylum seekers come from?’,‘Why said. Also speaking alongside asylum-seekers at the London do asylum seekers leave their countries of origin?’ or ‘Does the UK launch were Bishop Roger Sainsbury,The Revd Nezlin receive more than its “fair share” of asylum seekers?’The fact file is Sterling, Neil Gerrard MP and the Most Revd and Rt Hon to be updated quarterly with new research, data and policy changes. Dr David Hope, all in support of the Churches’ attempt to Download this document on the IPPR website confront the myths surrounding asylum-seekers and to let [http://www.ippr.org/research/index.php?current=19&project=158] the truth be heard.

RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 27 CONTENTS Black History Celebrating Jim Rose’s Life and Legacy 1 Guardians of Race Equality: Month Directory Project Regulation, Inspection and Race Equality - Compiling New Resources for Schools Rob Berkeley 2 Employment: Runnymede is responding to the requests of many teachers and parents From Employment Policy to Corporate Social Responsibility from across the UK, who ask for advice in locating culturally diverse Michelynn Laflèche 5 resources and general information to support the curriculum, by creating Training for Race Equality: a Black History Month Directory. Race Awareness and Diversity Training Project By developing the directory in response to specific teacher and parent Sara Mody 8 needs, this project sets out to straightforwardly: Equality: 1. challenge the notion that BHM is just for one month a year by Basic Income: Equality issues featuring the kind of resources that are available all year round; beyond the ‘baby bond’ Omar Khan 11 2. give prominence to the contributions those from minority ethnic Citizenship: communities have made to British society; Testing Times 3. complement Runnymede’s ongoing commitment to promoting Rob Berkeley 14 cultural understanding and race equality. Parliamentary Monitor IV: Constitutional Reform Omar Khan 15 Proposed Structure and Content of the Directory Book Review To create a web (and later hard copy) compendium which will: Sarah Isal 17 NGOs and Europe: • Include, for example, museums, libraries, toyshops, bookshops, CERD welcomes the NGO Shadow Report theatre/dance groups and community organisations, all of which Sarah Isal 18 reflect the UK’s diverse cultural heritage; UKREN Management Committee • Be a directory of resources already available in various boroughs that Brings Europe to West Yorkshire help promote, and engender a greater understanding of, cultural Sarah Isal 20 Runnymede diversity. Community: Team: Health, Race and Community: • Provide a teaching and learning resource that will be available and An appraisal of some recent Michelynn accessible all year round, to encourage schools and families of all publications 21 Laflèche ethnic backgrounds to find out more about the UK’s diverse cultural Education: Director Complementing Teachers: heritage. A project update Rajiv Anand The directory will list resources within local education authorities Nicola Rollock 23 Project across the UK and involve close collaboration with colleagues from a Book Reviews: number of sectors, including education, libraries and archives. The Complexity of Underachievement 24 Coordinator Broken Windows Need Fixing 25 (Youth and Arts) Pilot work has already begun on the project, which will be available in You’re Welcome? 26 web (and subsequently in hard copy) formats, and a virtual support group Judeophobia 26 Robert has been set up to lend ongoing support and guidance for the Asylum Voices 27 Berkeley development of the directory. Black History Month 28 Senior Research If you have information relevant to schools, which you feel meets the and Policy Analyst aims of this project and that you would like to see included in the directory, we would be interested in hearing from you. Contact: Bulletin No. 335, September 2003 Filiz Caran ISSN 1476-363X Projects Officer Black History Month Directory tel: 020 7377 9222 Sarah Isal The Runnymede Trust fax: 020 7377 6622 In 2003,The Bulletin, Runnymede’s Research and London Fruit & Wool Exchange web: www.runnymedetrust.org Quarterly newsletter,will be Policy Analyst Brushfield St, London E1 6EP email: blackhistorymonth@ published in the months of March, (Europe) runnymedetrust.org June, September and December by: Omar Khan The Runnymede Trust Policy Researcher The London Fruit & Wool Exchange Some existing online public archives that carry heritage-related material (Consulting) Suite 106, Brushfield Street, include: London E1 6EP Tel: 020 7377 9222 Fax: 020 7377 6622 Nicola Moving Here www.movinghere.org.uk Email: [email protected] Rollock 1901 census (in which ancestors can be name-searched) www.census.pro.gov.uk Url: www.runnymedetrust.org Research and Policy Analyst Links to lottery-backed sites with archive content www.enrichuk.net Annual subscription in 2003 is £25.00 (Education) Ros Spry The Runnymede logo was Publications Launched during BHM 2003 by Ken Livingstone, the 100 Great Black designed by Four IV Design Britons campaign will be run between 1 October 2003 and 1 January Consultants. Other design Editor elements were originated 2004. For details contact Angelina Osborne on 020 7247 5565. or Patrick by Four IV and developed Kings Mill Vernon on 07976 731 539; or visit Every Generation’s prize-winning by St. Richards Press. Partnership website [www.everygeneration.co.uk]. Typeset and printed by: Accountancy St Richards Press Ltd. Services Leigh Road, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 2TU. 28 RUNNYMEDE’S QUARTERLY BULLETIN SEPTEMBER 2003 Tel: 01243 782988 Copyright © 2003 Runnymede Trust and individual authors. The opinions expressed by individual authors do not necessarily represent the views of the Runnymede Trust.