Criticism of CRE’s decision to reject equality body
There has been criticism today of the Commission for Racial Equality’s (CRE) decision to flatly reject the Government’s proposal for a Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR).
The Government’s White Paper “Fairness for All” proposed the establishment of CEHR as a one-stop-shop for all discrimination issues that would subsume the current equality monitors.
On Wednesday the board of the CRE decided to “unequivocally reject” the proposal.
They cited concerns that there would be a reduced focus on enforcement, fears that their integration work would be lost, and expressed concerns about the timing of the proposals, stating “communities are currently extremely volatile, discrimination remains widespread, and demands on the CRE are at an all time high.”
The chair of the CRE, Trevor Phillips said: “As far as we are concerned this is the wrong proposal at the wrong time. But we want to remain engaged in the debate on the best way forward for equality, and are keen to work jointly with other equality strands, for example on issues such as Islamophobia, domestic violence and equality in Europe.
“However, that said, the CRE will not be distracted from the immediate priorities we face in terms of integration, race equality and community cohesion.”
Its position drew criticism from the director of Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti. She said: “The CRE’s rejection of a single Equalities and Human Rights Commission is particularly disappointing in a week after the BNP has demonstrated how bigotry directed at racial, religious and other minority groups springs from a single pool of hatred. It is time that we moved on towards promoting the human rights of everyone.”
The director general of Age Concern England, Gordon Lishman, said that the CRE’s decision was wrong. He said: “Its u-turn threatens to take the battle against prejudice and discrimination back a generation. Singling out specific areas of inequality seriously undermines community cohesion by emphasising separate minority groups.”
“Equality is not only a minority issue – it affects us all and we must all work together to expose and tackle the prejudices within society. The Government must stand firm and stick to its commitment to set up a progressive and integrated CEHR.”
It is believed that the influential Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) also supports the establishment of a single body. In May when the idea was first announced its chair, Julie Mellor, said: “Having a single champion and a ‘one-stop-shop’ for equality and human rights issues makes sense for individuals, employers and service providers. It will help make sure that all our equality laws, including new laws on age, belief and sexual orientation, are equally well understood, promoted and enforced.”
With the CRE’s rejection the next stage is not clear. However, it is believed that the Trade and Industry Secretary, Patricia Hewitt, has received Cabinet level backing to press ahead with the plans.
