Equalities Interest: MPs tell conference tonight Racism still exists, but it’s for us all to deal with it

Among the comments delegates to a conference on racism in Westminster this evening will hear is an admission by Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Equalities Sandra Osborne MP that “too many people are still held back by deliberate or unwitting discrimination, whether in employment, in education or in communities.”

She goes on to say: “We must find ways to change the situation in which, for example, young black men are still seven times more likely than their white peers to be stopped by the police.”

“Racism and racist behaviour still exists in modern British society,” adds Minister for Communities Stephen Williams MP. In a letter to the conference, the minister, whose remit covers race equality, reveals the equalities strategy of the coalition government being integrationist and encouraging all groups to play an active part in society.

Finding ways to deal with racism is the task of delegates, drawn from policy makers to victimised groups, at the Look How Far We’ve Come: Getting Racism Back On The Agenda? Conference taking place between 6-9pm at The Abbey Centre on Great Smith Street, Westminster.

Contributors at the  conference include former Runnymede Trust director Dr. Rob Berkeley, ecumenist/broadcaster Dr. Joe Aldred, Harrow Mayor Cllr Nana Asante, veteran trade unionist Jim Thakoordin, and former leader of Lambeth Council and equalities advocate Linda Bellos.

For further details: www.LookHowFar.eventbrite.com.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The conference is organised by London community organisations BTWSC and African Histories Revisited, as a result of the discovery of the regularly reference was made to racism during the research of book* on African British history to be published in October

A complimentary copy of ‘Look How Far We’ve Come: The Race/Racism Primer’ (African Histories Revisited 2014) bookazine will be available to conference delegates

For more information, to arrange Press Passes or interviews contact: Kwaku on : 0208 450 5987  Or email him at  editor@britishblackmusic.com
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*The full list of Look How Far We’ve Come…? book/DVD contributors: Addai Sebo, Ansel Wong, Baroness Ros Howells, Bernard Wiltshire, Brother Omowale, Clarence Thompson, Clement McLarty, Cllr Lincoln Beswick, Cllr Lurline Champagnie, Cllr Nana Asante, Darcus & Leila Howe, David Lammy MP, Dawn Butler, Diane Abbott MP, Donald Hinds, Dr Morgan Dalphinis, Dr Richard Stone, Eric & Jessica Huntley, Eulette Roberts, Fabian & Mavis Best, Guy Bailey, Henry Bonsu, Keith Vaz MP, Ken Livingstone, Kingsley Abrams, Lee Jasper, Leroy Logan, Linda Bellos, Lord Anthony Lester, Lord Bill Morris, Lord Herman Ouseley, Lord John Taylor, Marc Wadsworth, Michael Mansfield QC, Narendra Makanji, Norman Mullings, Paul Reid, Paul Stephenson, Phil Sealey, Prof Gus John, Prof Harry Goulbourne, Prof Paul Gilroy, Russell Profitt, Sam King, Suresh Kamath, Tony Benn, Toyin Agbetu, Waveney Bushell, Wilf Sullivan, Yvonne Brewster, and Zita Holbourne.