CRE rejects single body for equality

The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) has pulled out of plans to merge it with other anti-discrimination watchdogs.

Government plans to replace the CRE, the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission with a new independent body, the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR), had appeared to take a step closer to fruition last month when the Equalities Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons.

During the debate, Labour MPs had warned of a "structural problem" that might prevent the CEHR from tackling racism effectively.

For example, there was no guarantee that it would include any members from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities - because, equalities minister Meg Munn said, "specifying individual commissioners might prevent the commission from covering the full range of issues that we want it to cover".

The CRE, which had opposed the establishment of the CEHR from the outset (see Labour Research, September 2004), withdrew its support less than a week later.

A key factor in its decision was the government's intention to locate the new body in Manchester. The CRE said this was inappropriate, since more than half of Britain's BME residents and almost all BME organisations are located in London and the south-east.

It was also concerned at the government's refusal to guarantee regional race equality councils' funding.

The government had not responded to the CRE's move as Labour Research went to press.