Bid to create first truly ‘anti-racist city’ in UK
Activists call on politicians and bosses to back radical manifesto
BIRMINGHAM businesses and politicians are being urged to back a manifesto to create the UK’s first ‘anti-racist city’ after being accused of failing to stamp out discrimination.
Birmingham Race Impact Group (BRIG) says it is time to create a ‘truly equal’ city.
Sixty-five per cent of Birmingham school children are of black, Asian or minority ethnic origin – yet the group says too often businesses and the public sector merely pay ‘lip service’ to issues affecting minorities.
It is now demanding that all candidates in the local elections sign up to its 15-point action plan.
Jagwant Johal, of BRIG, said the city is already ‘minority majority’.
He added: “The direction of travel is clear.”
ACTIVISTS have thrown down the gauntlet to Birmingham businesses and organisations who they say are still failing to stamp out discrimination against ethnic minorities.
In a city where 65% of school children are of black, Asian or minority ethnic origin, it is time to create a truly equal city, says Birmingham Race Impact Group (BRIG).
Anti-racism must be at the heart of the city, they claim.
The group said it was no longer good enough for businesses and public sector organisations to pay ‘lip service’ to an issue that directly affects more than half a million of its citizens. Earlier this year the group highlighted how fewer than one in five paid jobs at the Birmingham 2022 Games had so far gone to people of colour.
This was despite pledges to ensure the Commonwealth Games workforce ‘reflected the city’s diversity’.
It has also highlighted the lack of ethnic minorities on the boards and executive teams of Birmingham City Council, health organisations, universities and major companies.
Now, in a 15-point action plan, it has set out a new vision and is asking all candidates in the May local elections to sign up to its manifesto.
Jagwant Johal, spokesperson for the group, said Birmingham is most likely already a ‘minority majority’ city, likely to be confirmed by the 2021 Census. “With 65% pupils of colour in our schools, the direction of travel is clear,” he said.
BRIG, the Birmingham Race Impact Group, was created last May by community activists and professionals engaged in the development of race equality in the city over the past 60 years.
Its members want to hold organisations to account for tackling systemic racism and say this needs to extend “beyond setting up systems to manage the existing racial intersectional inequalities and gesture politics”.
Meanwhile, the region’s new Race Equalities Taskforce has been launched.
The taskforce was set up by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board to advise on policy to ensure all communities can reach their full potential and benefit from the investment in transport, housing, skills and jobs across the region.
Chaired by Yetunde Dania, partner and head of office at international law firm Trowers and Hamlins, the taskforce’s full membership will comprise around 30 leaders from a range of different sectors, areas of expertise, communities and places across the West Midlands.
So far 17 people – including community activists, charity and trade union executives, academics, entrepreneurs
and leading professionals – have been appointed following an open recruitment process.
The newly selected members will be joined by representatives from key public bodies across the region.
Ms Dania said: “I am delighted to welcome our new members to the Race Equalities Taskforce; it is an exciting milestone following a competitive application process during which I have been inspired and humbled by the number of people prepared to volunteer their time to support the taskforce in its work.
“My ambition is to make the West
Midlands a national leader in addressing race inequalities so that everyone who lives in our region can have a fair start in life, the opportunity to reach their full potential and to flourish.
“We are facing a huge and complex challenge, however I am confident that with our new taskforce members, and the support of all of the public bodies which make up the WMCA Board, we have a unique opportunity to bring about transformational and lasting change for our communities.”
The taskforce will work with local authorities and other public bodies, businesses and communities to find new ways to address race inequality.
It will focus on the areas where the WMCA and its partners have most responsibility and impact, including the economy, transport network, housing, skills, wellbeing and, under the leadership of the Police and Crime Commissioner, the criminal justice system.
With 65% pupils of colour in our schools, the direction of travel is clear Jagwant Johal, BRIG