An overview of racist attacks and convictions over the last two months. Last week David Cameron said he was ‘disturbed’ to hear that the proposed building of a small mosque in his Witney constituency had been cancelled as a result of racist threats to burn it down. It should not, however, have been that much
Theme: Health
Glasgow Girls impress
A new musical based on the story of the Glasgow Girls, who fought for the rights of asylum seeking children, is a masterpiece. The Glasgow Girls was the name given to a group of young girls who began campaigning after a school friend was arrested for deportation in a dawn raid. A campaign emerged at
Gypsies and Travellers concerned over Coalition plans
The government’s recent planning policy developments are set to ‘make things worse for the poorest Gypsies and Travellers’. A number of Gypsy and Traveller groups have recently announced their concern over the latest planning proposals from the Coalition government. The Irish Traveller Movement in Britain (ITMB), Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) and JUST West Yorkshire
Stopping the rise of fascism and racism
The Unite Against Fascism national conference. Saturday 2 March 2013, 10–5.30pm Congress Centre, TUC, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS Speakers include: Ken Livingstone – Former Mayor of London and Honorary President UAF Diane Abbott MP Andy Slaughter MP Claude Moraes MEP Jeremy Corbyn MP Leslie Mercer – TUC President Christine Blower – NUT General
Facing up to racial violence
The IRR publishes a report today on how racial violence is shaping the UK. Racial violence: facing reality warns that attacks on BME individuals are actually spreading to new areas of the country, as under the impact of globalisation and austerity measures, populations swiftly change; and points to the potential dangers in ‘decanting’ those affected
British Future and the new patriotism
A report by the British Future think-tank suggests the need for a new British patriotism. Patriotism is back on the agenda. It is a patriotism which draws on the success of the feel-good pride said to have been generated through last year’s Olympics. It is a patriotism which seeks to harness the widespread bunting-brandishing joy
Shambolic and unworkable: outsourcing of court interpreting services
Aisha Maniar, a freelance legal translator and editor, reports on the recent privatisation of court interpretation services by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). From schools and hospitals to the police force, almost all vital public services are affected by the current cuts and privatisation agenda. Often poorly thought through, many of these government programmes are
Consultation on the education of Traveller children raises concerns
The Department for Education is currently consulting on proposals to bring Traveller parents in line with other parents whereby they can be prosecuted for their child’s non-attendance at school. The Department’s purported reason for making these changes is to improve school attendance, which in turn raises education outcomes. This would represent a major change to
Human rights challenge to Glasgow evictions
As evictions from privatised asylum housing continue, important new legal challenges are being mounted in the courts. On Monday 28 January the latest round of the Glasgow evictions saga which began two years ago took place in the Glasgow Sheriff Court. At a hearing adjourned from October 2012, Scottish homelessness charity Ypeople (formerly the YMCA)
Why the voluntary sector is under threat
A report into the independence of the voluntary sector holds important lessons for groups struggling for funding and their very existence. The voluntary sector is under threat. So, who cares, you might reply, everything is up for grabs these days. It is not enough to throw up ones hands and see the demise of the