Dear IRR News subscriber,

This week, we report on Michael Gove’s latest proposals to change the history curriculum and Frances Webber has also written a post for CagePrisoners on the denial of citizenship. And we still have a few spaces left for the book launch hosted by Race & Class for Barbara Ransby’s book on Eslanda Robeson on 16 April.

And in news from across the UK, police have been arrested in connection with two deaths in police custody. Four police officers have been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and misconduct in a public office following their refusals to be interviewed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) which is investigating the death of Kingsley Burrell in 2011. And two serving and one retired police officer have also been arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice over their evidence at the inquest in to the death of Sean Rigg in Brixton police custody in 2008. The IPCC has also been branded as ‘not fit for purpose’ by lawyers acting for the family of Mark Duggan following their failure to complete their report in to the 2011 shooting.

And its been a tough week for home secretary Theresa May, who announced that the functions of the UK Border Agency are to be brought back to the Home Office following damning criticism by a parliamentary committee and May also lost her latest attempt to deport Abu Qatada.

Harmit Athwal

Editor, IRR News