GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS have been accused of rewriting the controversial report into racial and ethnic inequalities in the UK.
The allegations come after ongoing uproar over the March 31 publication of the Race and Ethnic Disparities report, which has been accused of “gaslighting” ethnic minorities by stating that institutional racism was not a problem in the UK.
Despite appointing an independent commission to conduct a transparent investigation into inequality, The Observer has been told that significant parts of the report which were criticised and debunked by health professionals, academics, business chiefs and crime experts, were in fact not written by the 12 commissioners that were appointed in July last year.
The 258-page document was not made available to be read in full or signed off by the group.
Those commissioned to write the report included scientist and BBC broadcaster Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Samir Shah, former chair of the Runnymede Trust.
The group were also not made aware of the report’s 24 final recommendations, and its completed version was allegedly produced by No 10.
Anti-racism activist and director of the charity Voice4Change, Kunle Olulode, is the first commissioner to condemn the government publicly for absence of transparency in the reports.
In a statement to the Observer, Olulode’s charity highlighted how the evidence was cherrypicked, distorted and denied in the final report.
“The report does not give enough to show its understanding of institutional or structural discrimination … evidence in sections, that assertive conclusions are based on, is selective,” it read.
“The report gives no clear direction on what expectations of the role of public institutions and political leadership should be in tackling race and ethnic disparities. What is the role of the state in this?”
Another commissioner, who wanted to remain anonymous, accused the government of “bending” the work of its commission to apply “a more palatable” political narrative.
They also said the government denied the working autonomy that was initially agreed on.
A further source involved in the commission told the Observer that “basic fundamentals in putting a document like this together were ignored. When you’re producing something so historic, you have to avoid unnecessary controversy, you don’t court it like this report did. And the comms was just shocking.”
Following the fallout from the publication, the prime minister Boris Johnson distanced himself from the report and his most senior race adviser, Samuel Kasumu, resigned from his position on the day it was published.
A spokesperson for the race commission said: “We reject these allegations. They are deliberately seeking to divert attention from the recommendations made in the report.
“The commission’s view is that, if implemented, these 24 recommendations can change for the better the lives of millions across the UK, whatever their ethnic or social background. That is the goal they continue to remain focused on.”
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2 Comments
If there is no racism,why have the council send Superdrugs to fence off part my property that left me imprisoned in a home that I can neighter buy or sell.
The only two people that is benefiting from my property is Superdrugs and Croydon Council. Through rental income and council tax as the property have been seperated into different flats, while I stood and watch as these changes are being made.
The tiled deed which landregistry holds fo.r me is fraudulent , worthless, and have no value.
The council intigated my neighbours to force me out of my home from since 2012. Which I was unaware that landregistry have orbituary removed my name.
This report on race by the government should be thorn up and bin as far I am concerned. The hold conspiracy surrounding my property is something from a Agatha christie novel.
Priti patel said she is sorry about the winrush scandal, she is not sorry she and parliament just laugh at us , because I am still being harrassed, bullied by the council who for almost thirty years the council have. Been following and stripping of whatever I achieved or earned. Now the council, landregistry, and others used fraudulent means to strip me of my home.
The mental tortured from these powerful establishment have left me physically drained and suffering from continuous I’ll Heath.
I have been suffering in silence. I cannot do this anymore.
I would like the voice to be more militant in exposing every single form of racism that is hidden in every community in Britain. The racism is rife and it is killing us black british especially the windrush generation.
The goverment owed this to us to put racism to sleep and stop saying sorry, when they know that behind the scenes they are pushing the fire.
Institutionalisation is alive and well in the UK. I have not been able to speak out until now, as I would not have been able to seek out work if had come forward earlier, but as I am now going on pension in a year whether I work or not would not have a serious impact on my life.
In 1998 when I applied to join the work pension scheme with a London electricity company they issued me with a two page essay saying that due to me being ethnic my records shall be kept separated from other employees.
The letter continues proudly to proclaim….” Indeed The Commission for Racial Equality ( CRE.) is strongly of the view that the most reliable and efficient way of monitoring the effectiveness of an equal opportunity policy is to carry out regular analyses of the workforce, by ethnic origin.”
Industrial tribunals, too, have emphasised the importance of ethnic record keeping.
Unfortunately this letter is so intense, the emotions it causes reading, writing or thinking about it has an affect on me, and that this being the first time I am announcing it I am finding it hard to continue.
This now being 2022 my life has been extremely toxic for the last 22 years and my intensions are to call out those that have intentionally tried to make my life hell, so I know where Miss Richardson is coming from and I can only sympathize with her which is the last thing that she needs but it is at this stage the only thing that I can offer.