When tolerance is a cover for racism

The roots of this political narrative came from a phrase used in a speech by the then Home Secretary Roy Jenkins in 1967 who defined integration as 'not as a flattening process of assimilation but as equal opportunity, accompanied by cultural diversity, in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance’.

The problem with this type of narrative was that it permanently put people from Britain’s Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Communities in a separate box whilst at the same time promoting the idea that culture is fixed to different ethnicities.  These ideas, however, don’t match up with reality. BME people have lived, worked and contributed to the making of modern Britain for centuries. Equally British citizens, that once formed part of the empire - contributed to the wealth and power of contemporary Britain is completely discounted.

A British born and educated person of Pakistani origin, with a broad Yorkshire accent, has more common with a White British working class person than people from Pakistan. That's because cultures change and develop in places - not on the basis of ethnicity.

This is why Britain’s favourite eat-out food is curry, why skinheads had short haircuts and listened to Ska. Why football's the number one sport to follow among young British men, from all ethnic backgrounds. And why you'll find as many young White people at today’s UK Grime or Garage sessions as young Black people.

The political multicultural narrative that defines the debate on race relations, sidesteps the role of the state and institutions in our society. Their role in defining and reinforcing the framework, that results in racism continuing in our society, is completely ignored.

A joint publication by the TUC and Runnymede Trust, ‘Reframing Racism: Explaining ethnic inequalities in the UK labour market’ deals with how these political narratives play out in the world of work. The briefing argues that the narrative on race equality is inadequate. And makes it difficult to tackle widespread discrimination in Britain.

The rise of racist attacks resulting from the hostile political and media rhetoric about migrant’s, calls into question the narrative on tolerance. And raises the question, is this just an excuse for institutional inaction on racism.

The continuing damage to BME workers in racist workplaces is clearly demonstrated in the TUC’s recent report ‘Is racism Real?’

This provokes the question, is this narrative a cover for racism to continue?

The proclamation that Britain’s a tolerant society may sound good but telling a story over and over again doesn't make it valid or real.