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| Racism on the wane, says minister | Racism on the wane, says minister |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Being black or Asian in the UK no longer means you will be automatically disadvantaged, Communities Secretary John Denham will say in a speech later. | |
| He says progress made since 2000 means that, while racial discrimination still exists, disadvantage is now more linked to poverty, class and identity. | He says progress made since 2000 means that, while racial discrimination still exists, disadvantage is now more linked to poverty, class and identity. |
| Mr Denham says the problems of white working class areas must be tackled. | Mr Denham says the problems of white working class areas must be tackled. |
| The government is trying to get a major equalities bill through Parliament before the election. | |
| 'New trends' | 'New trends' |
| Launching a review of government policy on race on Thursday, Mr Denham will say that the UK is now so used to diversity that many of the historic problems with racial discrimination are fading, even if they are not yet dead. | Launching a review of government policy on race on Thursday, Mr Denham will say that the UK is now so used to diversity that many of the historic problems with racial discrimination are fading, even if they are not yet dead. |
| In their place, he argues is a more complex and subtle challenge for policy makers and public services where people do not achieve their full potential because of other factors beyond their ethnicity. | In their place, he argues is a more complex and subtle challenge for policy makers and public services where people do not achieve their full potential because of other factors beyond their ethnicity. |
| These include their social class, community and identity. While children with Chinese heritage tended to excel at school, boys from white working class areas were doing far worse. | These include their social class, community and identity. While children with Chinese heritage tended to excel at school, boys from white working class areas were doing far worse. |
| "Britain today is not the same place as it was a decade ago," he says. "We therefore have to make sure that our efforts are tackling problems of today and not those of the past. | "Britain today is not the same place as it was a decade ago," he says. "We therefore have to make sure that our efforts are tackling problems of today and not those of the past. |
| "New trends that are linked to race, class and identity make the situation much more complex. | "New trends that are linked to race, class and identity make the situation much more complex. |
| "That does not mean that we should reduce our efforts to tackle racism and promote race equality but we must avoid a one-dimensional debate that assumes all minority ethnic people are disadvantaged. | "That does not mean that we should reduce our efforts to tackle racism and promote race equality but we must avoid a one-dimensional debate that assumes all minority ethnic people are disadvantaged. |
| "If the cause of disadvantage is social class, we will promote opportunity. And if the cause is a combination of racism and social class we will tackle both together." | "If the cause of disadvantage is social class, we will promote opportunity. And if the cause is a combination of racism and social class we will tackle both together." |
| Hot spots targeted | Hot spots targeted |
| The Department for Communities has already earmarked £12m to look at entrenched social problems in 130 predominantly white working class areas. | The Department for Communities has already earmarked £12m to look at entrenched social problems in 130 predominantly white working class areas. |
| The move has been widely seen as an attempt by Labour Party leaders to counter the rise of the BNP, after criticism from within the party that it had failed to heed the warning signs of a backlash against new economic migration. | The move has been widely seen as an attempt by Labour Party leaders to counter the rise of the BNP, after criticism from within the party that it had failed to heed the warning signs of a backlash against new economic migration. |
| Mr Denham has denied claims that these areas have been forgotten - but has acknowledged that the far-right gains where people don't believe their grievances have been dealt with. | Mr Denham has denied claims that these areas have been forgotten - but has acknowledged that the far-right gains where people don't believe their grievances have been dealt with. |
| The government's Equalities Bill, currently in its final Parliamentary stages, is designed to change the way public services work by ordering them to take into account the needs of all groups in society. | The government's Equalities Bill, currently in its final Parliamentary stages, is designed to change the way public services work by ordering them to take into account the needs of all groups in society. |