The Govenment report on Race and Ethnic Disparities is being called into question on a daily (or more) basis.

I agree that there needs to be an analysis of poverty for everybody, but the fact is that some groups tend to suffer poverty more than others and racism is a factor in that.

I agree with much of what you've written too foxie. My issue is (and I know it's shared by others with more experience of racism than I) is that the report doesn't even touch on some of the main issues. The overall impression is that there's denial about racism and an attempt to turn the blame back on to the people who suffer from it.

I have to agree with some of what foxie48 said Today 09:39. There are obviously some truths in this report. We do need to look at poverty overall, and areas of deprivation. So why oh why has the government gone all out to upset people. They knew what they were doing; it's perfectly clear from the way it was released that this was politics first and people second - standard stuff from a man who wants to rule not govern. Will this help resolve some of the deeply ingrained issues? Of course not. But I do expect a report, just before the election would be a likely time, saying they have solved all the problems. It will probably even mention "historical challenges" or "legacy policies" as if the Conservatives had never had a hand in getting us to this point but then Johnson never was a real Conservative, was he?

Let’s hope the U.K. report goes the same way.

Talking about Trump, the U.K. commission seems to have been modelled on the 1776 Commission established by Trump, and later disbanded by Biden because he said it was both divisive and historically inaccurate.

Expecting those of any community to hold the same views is a form of racism/sexism etc, I know you weren't doing that foxie but I am seeing that kind of view point more and more lately.

Well I've now read quite a lot of it and can see why it will anger some people. As a white woman, it is impossible to speak on behalf of those who are not white but perhaps this report is an opportunity for minority ethnic communities to have an open debate. When woman discuss women's issues, it's obvious that they are not fully in agreement and having heard some comments on the radio and in the media generally, it seems that this is also true of ME communities as well. Tony Sewell is not unique in his views and I will stick my neck out here, there are times when immediately citing institutional racism as the cause of something worries me. The covid death rate amongst NHS doctors and nurses is one issue that springs to mind. Further there's a difference between institutional racism and the racism that most people of colour experience on a regular basis. It is important to keep them separate, I think. The vile Jeans in this country don't make policy etc, thank goodness but her overt racism is a problem that won't go away by ignoring it. Look at how Trump mobilised the poor white working class in the US.

The media, as expected, are just cherry picking some bits of it.

Because, as I put further up, the media who recieved it initially were also cherry picked.

It wasn't just the traders who made money, but the shareholders in the UK and some other countries. The study by UCL of those who received compensation showed that there were many very "ordinary" people who had slave shares in their portfolio of assets.

In any case, I think a focus on slavery is a distraction from the very real racism people experience today and which was downplayed by the report.

I do wish people would read the actual report or, at least, the summary of recommendations. The media, as expected, are just cherry picking some bits of it.

I think many on here are trying to minimise racism by saying “ it’s just as bad for white people”. Yes factory work and child labour was exploitative and cruel, but the people weren’t in that position merely because of skin colour, they weren’t considered sub human, hung for refusing to work or raped, tortured or kept in chains. We can all draw examples of slavery from the ancient empires, but it can’t be denied that it was European traders who industrialised the use of slavery in their colonies in order to enrich themselves. If they could have made as much by employing poor white people they would have done that - it was more profitable to deny the humanity of black people and enslave them .

I started university in 1973 and I can honestly say that I do not remember any class consciousness.

This thread is about racism.

Actually it was 1974. I went to a university with many overseas students, lots from the Middle East, India, Pakistan and South America. Clearly my experience was different, but I can assure you that the middle class ones stuck together and us working class kids did too. I really can't believe that you can't tell a person's social class by how they speak, or the clothes and possessions they have, or comments about what mummy and daddy did for a living. Even, in those days, whether there was a phone at home, now it would be how much those possessions cost, but it's still there. It was what you did in the summer holidays; for me, it was working in the cardboard box factory or looking after the children of better off parents, for the rich students, it was going on holiday to an exotic location. I had to earn money, so my dad could keep me in the long holiday.
After graduation those with money got better jobs because daddy knew someone; for me, it was grabbing anything going as, believe it or not there was no chance of my dad subbing me.
Your experience may be different, but it doesn't make mine any less valid. It happened, and I was aware that I was worse off financially.

Loislovesstewie

I suspect that I had a very strong accent that marked me out; the fact that I had far fewer possessions;clothes etc, no expensive stereo and (shock, horror) got a full grant as we had no money! Neither did my dad deposit me at the door of my student accommodation by means of a fancy new car. It was an old crate and was the first he had ever owned.
And I do believe the Labour Party doesn't care about the working class. And I believe that class still exists.

When was this?

I didn't have an expensive stereo and received a full grant. I didn't even arrive by car, but train, tube and walked the final stretch with a rucksack and suitcase.

I don't ever remember being treated by anyone as "poor" and I certainly don't remember differentiating others. I found out that there were some seriously rich students at my university and some who had been at the big public schools, but we were all the same when it came to doing the work and having our essays marked.

Looking back, however, I don't remember many non-white students.

This OP is supposed to be about the government's report into racism, not social class in general.

I agree Loislovesstewie and it stinks to high Heaven. Deplorable.

I thought we were discussing The report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities on this thread.

One thing I would like to draw to your attention to is the fact that ... it emerged that the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities had only disseminated the report ahead of time to a “tight list” of journalists – who seem to be disproportionately white. It appears the handling of the report demonstrates the very issue it seeks to dismiss.

Number five on the list of the Early Warning Signs of Fascism is

5. Controlled mass media

It doesn't get any better, does it?

inews.co.uk/opinion/race-report-select-journalists-first-commission-opportunism-937689

washingtonmonthly.com/2017/01/31/the-12-early-warning-signs-of-fascism/

Chestnut. Please do not compare that to slavery.
Have you ever read about slaves lives?
They weren't just used as free labour. They were tortured and abused and murdered. I read just one story of what was done to a pregnant slave and I was knocked sick.
Do not compare it.

I suspect that I had a very strong accent that marked me out; the fact that I had far fewer possessions;clothes etc, no expensive stereo and (shock, horror) got a full grant as we had no money! Neither did my dad deposit me at the door of my student accommodation by means of a fancy new car. It was an old crate and was the first he had ever owned.
And I do believe the Labour Party doesn't care about the working class. And I believe that class still exists.

Loislovesstewie

BTW I went to University and definitely noticed that the middle class students didn't mix with us working class students. There was a class divide, as plain as the nose on your face.

Did you wear badges? How did they know?

I must admit it's not something I ever noticed.

By the way, this thread is about the government's report. Rather than hijacking it by discussions of slavery and/or racism, maybe somebody should start a new thread.

How many people have actually read the full report rather than the cherry picked soundbites?

No, I don't agree with you.

I think the Labour Party does care about the poorest in society. "Working class" is fairly meaningless these days.

I think there are people who choose to blame "others" for their own misfortune and it's very easy for some with ideological reasons for hatred of others to manipulate them.

Right wingers thrive on division and tribalism.

BTW I went to University and definitely noticed that the middle class students didn't mix with us working class students. There was a class divide, as plain as the nose on your face.

growstuff

By the way, I do agree with you that the issue of white working class boys' low attainment at school needs some solutions, but setting them up against children from other backgrounds isn't the way to do that. It's already known that there's a tendency for the white working class in some areas to have racist, right wing views, so there's no need to encourage them, apart from touting for their votes.

Do you not think that the reason some might have right wing views could be because the only political parties which seem to bother about them are extreme parties? I'm of the opinion that the Labour Party don't give two hoots about the working class, ironically they have forgotten who they were supposed to be representing. Most Labour MPs are middle class; they don't have a clue about what it means to be on the bottom of the pile. Tony Blair wanting to court 'Mondeo Man' was part of it but sometimes I think that no-one really bothers about those of us who still call ourselves working class ,unless we are cannon fodder.

growstuff there is still a stigma attached to those at uni who don't come from a privileged background, because those who do, stick together with their own class.
It's still a place of alienation and being underrepresented if you have a working class background, besides being mocked. It's high time that they were accepted for what they are.

growstuff

I disagree. I understand the living conditions of many factory workers, but there's a huge difference. Legally, they weren't slaves.

That is the only difference. They lived in poverty and were forced to work just as hard. No-one looked after them or provided food or shelter for them either.

I disagree. I understand the living conditions of many factory workers, but there's a huge difference. Legally, they weren't slaves.