At least 20 organisations and individuals who were listed as stakeholders in the government’s race disparity commission have distanced themselves from the report and its findings, The Guardian reported.
The report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, released at the end of March, had noted that while racism and racial injustice still exist, geography, family influence, socioeconomic background, culture and religion all have a greater impact on life chances. Following the publication of the 258-page report, it was widely criticised by MPs, doctors, unions, equality campaigners as “divisive” and a missed opportunity for systematic change.
Now, at least 20 of the organisations and individuals listed have distanced themselves from the report, many of them alleging the commission ignored their testimonies in its considerations. Those who have distanced themselves from the report include the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) who stated healthcare professionals were “dismayed” by the report, which it said used “inflammatory” language. The British Medical Association (BMA) also rejected the central argument in the report that structural race inequality is not a major factor affecting the outcomes and life chances of many citizens.
Others include the National Black Police Association, Race Council Cymru and National BAME Youth Forum Wales UK Youth, and Lord Simon Woolley, who was head of No 10’s race disparity unit until last summer. Labour MP David Lammy also accused the prime minister of “standing in the way” of young people who want to end racial inequality. Whereas, the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE) in their statement stated that they were “dismayed” by the report. “It is deeply disappointing that the report failed to take notice of the compelling evidence that racial disparities in health, and particularly in mental health, are driven in large part by social factors which are structurally determined.”
