While all eyes were on the Economy debate today, in the hour before Conference debated another important motion. It was entitled ‘A new Liberal Democrat approach to Race Equality’, and can be found on page 36 of the Conference Agenda. This motion was the outcome of the first report by the Liberal Democrat Race Equality Task Force: ‘Towards Race Equality: A Liberal Democrat Approach‘, which focused on education and employment.
This new approach sought to bring race equality back into focus in public debate. In recent years it has been increasingly subsumed under general equality issues so some of the specific challenges around race have been lost. (Indeed, that argument could also be applied to other equality strands). Janice Turner, who moved the motion claimed: “Progress in racial equality has gone backwards”.
The motion noted a number of areas for concern: the educational underachievement of some groups and the dis-proportionate number of Black Caribbean boys who are excluded from school, Black and Minority Ethnic under-representation in the Russell Group Universities and in teaching. It also noted that there appears to be a pattern of discrimination in the private sector against job applicants with ethnic minority names.
Jemima Bland reminded us that the way we treat minorities shows how we value humanity in general. Gareth Epps said that race equality matters, but is not talked about enough in the party.
Merlene Emerson pointed out that whereas Chinese children perform very well in schools in the UK, they do not do so well when it comes to employment. Neville Farmer reminded us of the most disadvantaged group of all – Gypsy, Roma and travellers’ children – and asked for clear guidance to local authorities on how to redress the inequalities.
Various actions were recommended, mainly in the education sector. The conference supported giving back powers to Osfted to judge schools on their actions in this area, ensuring that the school curriculum reflects the diversity in the UK, reinstating appeals panels against exclusions, and requiring all Universities to be transparent in their selection of students and staff. There is also a detailed recommendation on equality monitoring in the private sector.
The motion was agreed with no-one voting against. Indeed, not one of the speakers criticised any of the elements in the motion. So now there is work to be done to put the recommendations into action.
* Mary Reid is a contributing editor on Lib Dem Voice. She was a councillor in Kingston upon Thames and is a member of Federal Conference Committee.
