This Council notes the publication in March this year of the Report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, chaired by Dr. Tony Sewell.

Council is concerned by the analysis provided within the Report and rejects several of its key findings.

Trafford Council believes that:

-            This Report is add odds with almost every other report ever completed looking at issues of race in the UK

-            That much of the evidence submitted by key contributors to the Report has been ignored or in some cases manipulated to drive the eventual conclusion of the Report to a specific predetermined outcome

-            That socio-economic status is a critical driver in life chances, but that addressing class inequalities must not mean denying structural racism exists

-            That structural racism in and of itself is a key barrier to life chances

-            That some communities faring well in parts of the education system is not evidence that structural racism cannot exist

-            That selective use of evidence has led to demonstrably incorrect conclusions in findings, for example in suggesting inequalities in the labour market have narrowed

Trafford Council calls upon Government to:

-            Reject the findings of the Sewell Report

-            Legislate for a Race Equality Act at the earliest opportunity

-            Publish the ethnicity pay gap of all government departments

-            Require organisations and businesses to publish their ethnicity pay gap as they do their gender pay gap

It was moved and seconded that:

“This Council notes the publication in March this year of the Report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, chaired by Dr. Tony Sewell.

Council is concerned by the analysis provided within the Report and rejects several of its key findings.

Trafford Council believes that:

-       This Report is add odds with almost every other report ever completed looking at issues of race in the UK.

-       That much of the evidence submitted by key contributors to the Report has been ignored or in some cases manipulated to drive the eventual conclusion of the Report to a specific predetermined outcome.

-       That socio-economic status is a critical driver in life chances, but that addressing class inequalities must not mean denying structural racism exists.

-       That structural racism in and of itself is a key barrier to life chances.

-       That some communities faring well in parts of the education system is not evidence that structural racism cannot exist.

-       That selective use of evidence has led to demonstrably incorrect conclusions in findings, for example in suggesting inequalities in the labour market have narrowed.

Trafford Council calls upon Government to:

-       Reject the findings of the Sewell Report.

-       Legislate for a Race Equality Act at the earliest opportunity.

-       Publish the ethnicity pay gap of all government departments.

-       Require organisations and businesses to publish their ethnicity pay gap as they do their gender pay gap.”

Following a debate on the matter, the Motion was put to the vote and declared carried.

RESOLVED: That this Council notes the publication in March this year of the Report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, chaired by Dr. Tony Sewell.

Council is concerned by the analysis provided within the Report and rejects several of its key findings.

Trafford Council believes that:

-       This Report is add odds with almost every other report ever completed looking at issues of race in the UK.

-       That much of the evidence submitted by key contributors to the Report has been ignored or in some cases manipulated to drive the eventual conclusion of the Report to a specific predetermined outcome.

-       That socio-economic status is a critical driver in life chances, but that addressing class inequalities must not mean denying structural racism exists.

-       That structural racism in and of itself is a key barrier to life chances.

-       That some communities faring well in parts of the education system is not evidence that structural racism cannot exist.

-       That selective use of evidence has led to demonstrably incorrect conclusions in findings, for example in suggesting inequalities in the labour market have narrowed.

Trafford Council calls upon Government to:

-       Reject the findings of the Sewell Report.

-       Legislate for a Race Equality Act at the earliest opportunity.

-       Publish the ethnicity pay gap of all government departments.

-       Require organisations and businesses to publish their ethnicity pay gap as they do their gender pay gap.