Press Release: 27 January 2010
Race on the Agenda (ROTA) welcomes the National Equality Panel report 'An Anatomy of Economic Inequality in the UK' and calls for all political parties and society to act now. Following the government's 2007 Equalities Review, the National Equality Panel report – being launched today – constitutes one of the most thorough, evidence-based analyses of Britain's state of inequality.
The top 10 per cent of the country's population has wealth 100 times the value of that of the poorest 10 per cent. Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups are highly represented in that poorest 10 per cent, with Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslim men and Black African Christian men having an income that is 13-21 per cent lower than that of White British Christian men. The poverty of Britain's BAME children shapes their lives and aspirations and leads them to hopelessness and disengagement with society.
The report backs up many of ROTA's findings and arguments on health inequalities, unemployment, disproportionality and educational inequality faced by Britain's BAME groups. It also confirms ROTA's recent research findings on the impact of the recession on BAME services and organisations.
Dr Theo Gavrielides, Chief Executive of ROTA said: "The new report is a wake-up call for everyone. It points out a collective failure to tackle persistent inequalities in Britain. There are no more excuses. The Single Equality Bill is one step in the right direction. ROTA has supported the inclusion of the socio-economic duty in the Bill, and argued strongly in favour of positive action measures. It is time to name things as they happen in British society. If it is racism, then let's call it racism and not community cohesion or something else. It is time to stop putting the blame on the poorest and raise the mirror of responsibility. A generation later and Britain is less equal. Is this the legacy that we want to pass on to our children?"
ROTA will continue to work with government and equality organisations to inform and enforce policies that will make a real change for the poorest families in British society. Social policy does work and this is one of the strongest positive messages coming out of the report.
Ends.
Notes to Editors
- For further information, please contact Dr Theo Gavrielides on 020 7902 1177; mobile 07720 057750 or theo@rota.org.uk.
- Race on the Agenda (ROTA) is one of the UK's leading social policy think tanks focusing on issues that affect Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. Originally set up in 1984, ROTA aims to increase the capacity of BAME organisations and strengthen the voice of BAME communities through increased civic engagement and participation in society.
- Get further information about the ROTA-led Winning the Race Coalition and the Single Equality Bill here.