Current news

Right from the Start

At the end of May FIRST published Right from the Start, Jane Lane's thought-provoking paper on the importance of tackling racism in early years education provision. In this paper, Jane underlines the importance of addressing racist attitudes and behaviours from an early age. Describing the barriers that presently prevent effective action against racism, she clearly sets out the steps that need to be taken both within early years practice and at local, ministerial and government levels and the positive impact such measures would have on racism in society as a whole.

The Guardian's article on the paper, 'Tackle racism young, says report' can be found at http://education.guardian.co.uk/raceinschools/
story/0,,1806329,00.html. The report can be downloaded in full from Right from the Start.

The myth of the compensation culture

February saw the publication in 'The Lawyer' magazine of an article by FIRST Chair Lord Ouseley on Employment Tribunals and the myth of the compensation culture. A full version of the article can be found here.

The Government and race equality performance

"The Government has not got a clue about how it is performing with regard to race equality."

So says Herman Ouseley, Chair of the Focus Institute for Rights and Social Transformation (FIRST).

Lord Ouseley made his comment following the answer to a Parliamentary Question raised by him on equality impact assessments. In the answer Home Office Minister Andy Burnham said that apart from "retrieving a small number of draft race equality schemes in May 2005, race equality schemes are not systematically monitored or audited."

Lord Ouseley asked the Government to name those departments which were not conducting comprehensive equality impact assessments into their activities. Surprisingly, the Government has admitted that it does not systematically collect data about departments so it does not know whether they are conducting comprehensive equality impact assessments or not.

Speaking today Lord Ouseley said, "This is an absurd situation. How can this Government - which is so hot on audits, inspections, scrutiny and accountability - be so incompetent as to have no measurable information about its performance in race equality? Has it something to hide? Or is race equality in reality a low priority? Either way, it is complacent and irresponsible."

Download The Government's Race Equality Performance report. Email for more information.

Submission to the London Assembly for the Olympics 2012

In November last year, FIRST made a submission to the London Assembly's Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee following their invitation for responses to their scrutiny of the 2012 Olympiad "Will London firms benefit from the London Olympics?". The submission will form part of a report to be released by the Committee this year.

Download FIRST's response. Email for more information.

A Government for All

Released following last year's general election, this paper sets out the policy responsibilities that FIRST believes the new government should be fulfilling in order to meet many of the particular needs of the black and ethnic minority communities in the UK.

Download A Government For All PDF report. Email for more information.

Commission for Equality and Human Rights Seminar

In July last year Focus held a seminar to discuss the formation of the new Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The seminar was well attended by members of the Lords, civil servants working on the formulation of the new body and other interested parties and was co-chaired by FIRST's Professor Mullard and Lord Ouseley.

From the left, Labour Party Chair Ian McCartney, Paul Boateng, Patricia Hewitt and Raj Persaud, at the FIRST sponsored Equalilty Reception at the Labour Party Spring Conference in Gateshead, February 2005.