Race issues in Bradford still to be addressed, Ouseley says

Little progress has been made in tackling race relation issues
in Bradford, according to a former chairperson of the Commission
for Racial Equality, writes Clare
Jerrom.

Lord Herman Ouseley, who wrote ‘Community Pride, Not Prejudice’
before the riots in some northern cities last summer, said the
recommendations in his report had been largely ignored, during an
interview with BBC’s Asian Network.

In his report Ouseley said: “New initiatives are needed which
will introduce social inclusion, eliminate institutional
discrimination, highlight the strengths, successes and achievements
of the district and work endlessly to promote diversity.”

But Margaret Eaton, leader of Bradford council, said she was
surprised and disappointed by Ouseley’s recent comments.

She said just two weeks earlier Ouseley had said that “knowledge
and awareness of things in Bradford that are happening and things
that are working, and how progress demonstrates inclusiveness,”
should be increased.

Eaton said the district was definitely going in the right
direction, but warned that Bradford was one of the most diverse
cities in Europe, and it would take years to address all the
underlying problems.