‘More progress needed on race’

SADIQ KHAN has warned the government “not to pay much attention” to the race and equality report released last month, stating it was “unwise” to accept that institutional racism does not exist in the UK.

The report by the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities has been widely criticised after it suggested Britain should be seen as a “model for other white-majority countries”. It provoked fury from critics who branded it a “whitewash”.

Campaigners have since urged prime minister Boris Johnson to withdraw the report and instead implement recommendations of past inquiries.

Asked if he agreed, the mayor said he did not believe it should be withdrawn but said “the government should not pay much attention to it”.

Khan noted several instances when racial inequalities have been exposed in the UK, referring to the disproportionate Covid-19 death rate of BAME patients, and the Windrush scandal in 2017.

“For the government to pretend there aren’t challenges is not wise,” he told Eastern Eye.

Although he does believe that progress cent) have among the smallest proportion of those who would get the vaccine immediately when offered, compared to 85 per cent across other regions in the UK.

Asked how he would continue to reach out to BAME communities to ensure they feel confident enough to have the jab, Khan said he would continue his work with “respected message carriers.”

Some ethnic minorities have less trust in people in positions of power and could not be persuaded overnight to trust the government, Khan said. Working with local community and religious leaders helped to increase the confidence of Londoners who may feel hesitant to engage with the vaccine programme, he added.