Change to race relations law

The government intends to amend the Race Relations Act 1976 by extending it to cover public authorities, including the police.

Once the new law is in place, public authorities will have a legal obligation not to discriminate in carrying out any of their functions. The proposal for the new law comes in the wake of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, which condemned institutional racism for the manner in which the police dealt with Stephen's death. A spokesperson for the commission for Racial Equality (CRE) told Labour Research that, while it welcomed the change to the law, it believes that what is needed is a duty on public authorities to positively promote race equality.

The Stephen Lawrence inquiry has also encouraged local authorities to examine their own practices. The Local Government Association, which represents the authorities, has published new guidance for councils on how to tackle institutional racism.