Chambers “expected” to commit to race audits and ‘positive action’ – Legal Futures

‘Chambers should conduct race equality audits and, if necessary, introduce “positive action” to address the problems identified, as well as publish anti-racist statements, the Bar Standards Board (BSB) is set to say.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 27th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

BSB publishes anti-racist statement – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) last night agreed an anti-racist statement which aims to reduce race inequality at the Bar of England and Wales.’

Full press release

Bar Standards Board, 27th November 2020

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Racism and Football – What are the possible solutions? – Church Court Chambers

Posted November 25th, 2020 in chambers articles, diversity, employment, equality, news, race discrimination, racism, sport by sally

‘This two-part series of articles written by Yasin Patel (barrister and director of SLAM) looks at the question of “racism in football”. The first article outlined the arguments as to why discrimination and racism is “alive and kicking” in the game and the many forms in which it is prevalent throughout the whole structure of the game.’

Full Story

Church Court Chambers, November 2020

Source: churchcourtchambers.co.uk

Racism within the Windrush compensation scheme – The Guardian

‘The Guardian’s Amelia Gentleman wrote her first story on the Windrush scandal almost three years ago – yet she is still hearing from people facing injustice. Alexandra Ankrah, the most senior black Home Office employee in the team responsible for the Windrush compensation scheme, discusses why she resigned this year, describing the scheme as systemically racist and unfit for purpose while Samantha Cooper describes her frustrations with trying to access financial help.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 24th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judges “most likely to discriminate” against Black barristers – Legal Futures

Posted November 19th, 2020 in barristers, judiciary, magistrates, news, race discrimination, racism, reports, statistics by sally

‘Black barristers are most likely to experience racial discrimination from judges or magistrates than other lawyers, a report has found.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th November 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

We need to talk about race: a mid-term report – Counsel

Posted November 19th, 2020 in barristers, diversity, minorities, news, race discrimination, racism by sally

‘Microaggressions in court and everyday racism: what white colleagues don’t have to put up with and a 10-step plan for improving diversity and inclusion. By Professor Leslie Thomas QC.’

Full Story

Counsel, November 2020

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Met police told 40% of recruits must be from BAME backgrounds – The Guardian

‘Britain’s biggest police force must hire 40% of new recruits from ethnic minority backgrounds, while officers will have to justify stop and search to community panels under new plans designed to quell the race crisis engulfing Scotland Yard.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Met Police traffic stops to be reviewed as part of Action Plan – BBC News

‘Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called for police traffic stops to be reviewed to look at whether black people are disproportionately affected by some police tactics.’

Full Story

BBC News, 13th November 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Stephen Lawrence murder: CPS asked to consider new charges against police – The Guardian

‘Prosecutors are to be asked to consider whether to bring new charges in the Stephen Lawrence case against senior police officers in the first botched murder investigation, it has been announced.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 3rd November 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Structural racism led to worse Covid impact on BAME groups – report – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2020 in coronavirus, equality, minorities, news, racism, reports by sally

‘Structural racism led to the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, a review by Doreen Lawrence has concluded.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police spying inquiry to examine targeting of UK black justice groups – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2020 in bereavement, inquiries, minorities, news, police, race discrimination, racism, spying by sally

‘A public inquiry into undercover policing is poised to reveal details of how police repeatedly spied on black justice groups, including several run by grieving families whose relatives were killed by police or died in custody.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Black people nine times more likely to face stop and search than white people – The Guardian

‘Black people are nine times more likely to be stopped and searched by police than white people, official figures for England and Wales show.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 27th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Be yourselves, Black female QCs advise young barristers – Legal Futures

Posted October 28th, 2020 in barristers, diversity, equality, news, race discrimination, racism, women by sally

‘Young barristers from ethnic minorities should not be afraid to be who they are – including maintaining their hair in its natural look – as they look to progress, pioneering QCs have advised.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 28th October 2020

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Met police apologise over errors in racist attack investigation – The Guardian

Posted October 22nd, 2020 in assault, complaints, news, police, race discrimination, racism, victims by sally

‘The Metropolitan police has apologised for errors made in an investigation into a vicious racist attack. The victim says the errors resulted from discrimination by officers.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 22nd October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ombudsman report finds council wrongly accused woman of using abusive language, stopped Care Act assessment – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Royal Borough of Greenwich has been told by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that it need not compensate a woman it wrongly accused of using abusive language to a staff member.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 21st October 2020

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Crimes linked to race and religion rise in England and Wales – The Guardian

‘The number of racially or religiously aggravated offences in England and Wales rose in June and July, most likely linked to Black Lives Matters rallies and far-right counter-protests, the Home Office has said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 13th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Do Our Human Rights Protect Black Britons Equally? – Each Other

Posted October 14th, 2020 in coronavirus, equality, human rights, news, race discrimination, racism by sally

‘Human rights are supposed to apply to all of us equally – yet three quarters of Black people in Britain feel theirs are less protected than their white counterparts. Racism lies at the root of this inequality, writes Nadine Batchelor-Hunt.’

Full Story

Each Other, 13th October 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Watchdog investigates Met officers over Bianca Williams’ treatment – The Guardian

‘Five police officers are under disciplinary investigation after they stopped and handcuffed the British athlete Bianca Williams and her partner, the police watchdog has announced.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 8th October 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Supreme Court President Lord Reed wants more diversity in Supreme Court – BBC News

‘The new Supreme Court president says he hopes a justice from an ethnic minority background will be appointed before his retirement in six years’ time. Lord Reed said the lack of diversity among the 12 Supreme Court justices was a situation “which cannot be allowed to become shameful if it persists”.’

Full Story

BBC News, 5th October 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK barrister mistaken for defendant calls for compulsory anti-racism training – The Guardian

‘The barrister who was mistaken for a defendant three times in one day at court has called for compulsory anti-racism training at every level of the UK legal system.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 26th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com