News: Diversity & multiculturalism

28.07.2004 A South London council could be forced by the Commission for Racial Equality to hold a public inquiry into town hall racism following allegations of black businesses being "ethnically cleansed". Campaigners fighting efforts to remove the businesses to make way for a retail and leisure development have petitioned CRE chair Trevor Phillips.

22.07.2004 Mental health experts are furious that government ministers plan to sideline recommendations of a public inquiry into the death of black patient David "Rocky" Bennett. Health minister Rosie Winterton is due to make a written statement to the House of Commons on 22 July on government mental health policies.

21.07.2004 The UK’s white majority population is integrating less with other communities than the non-white population, according to a YouGov survey carried out by the Commission for Racial Equality.

19.07.2004 Following his drunken, racist behaviour in May, former BNP member, Gavin Hewett, has been given a night-time ban from every takeaway in Plymouth for five years.

16.07.2004 Commission for Racial Equality chair Trevor Phillips has emphasised the need for diversity in the armed forces and legislation to protect minority religious groups. He was speaking at the annual Armed Forces Careers Convention at Cranwell, Gloucestershire - with Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.

15.07.2004 The Commission for Racial Equality Scotland has issued minded letters to 21 public authorities, which it believes are not meeting their legal duty to promote race equality. The purpose of the letters is to forewarn authorities that they need to act now in order to avoid future legal action.

13.07.2004 Ken Livingstone yesterday hosted the first conference of a campaign to safeguard the right of Muslim women to wear headscarfs, and declared the ban in French schools reactionary. He also railed against the "demonisation" of Islam and said that he would examine whether media organisations' recruitment policies reflected the diversity of the community.

09.07.2004 An innovative programme, “Arista Scribes”, to develop black and minority ethnic screenwriters, has been launched by ABi in partnership with Film London and Arista. Ten writers who demonstrate a desire and commitment to work in film and TV will be recruited, to create scripts for feature films and one-off dramas.

07.07.2004 A fresh attempt is to be made to make incitement to religious hatred a criminal offence, the home secretary, David Blunkett, will announce today. The move, long demanded by Muslim organisations in Britain, was voted down by the House of Lords in December 2001 when Mr Blunkett tried to incorporate it into emergency anti-terrorism legislation.

01.07.2004 The CRE is urging all organisations involved in anti-racism work in Britain to participate in the European Commission's consultation between now and 31 August on equality and non-discrimination in the EU.