Hate crime on the rise

Efforts to tackle the spike in racist hate crime following the vote to leave the EU must be redoubled, a new TUC report has concluded.

Since the June 23 vote there has been a major increase in racist and xenophobic incidents, with the National Police Chiefs’ Council reporting a 57 percent rise in hate crime during the days directly after the referendum.

The spike followed on the heels of Home Office figures for 2014/15 showing an 18 per cent increase in hate crime, as well as charities reporting Islamophobic and anti-Semitic incidents more than doubling.

The TUC said that trade unions, employers and the government must do more to tackle racist behaviour. The ‘Challenging Racism after the EU Referendum’ report proposed closer monitoring of far-right activities, the adoption of zero-tolerance workplace policies and the abolition of employment tribunal fees.

The congress also published a guide containing information and practical advice on dealing with racism in the workplace for union reps.

“Despite progress reducing xenophobia and racism in Britain, we are a long way from eradicating it. And the recent surge in racist incidents since the Brexit vote is deeply disturbing,” said TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady.

“We need to stand up for modern British and trade union values – respect for difference, dignity at work, and a deep opposition to racism and extremism. Trade unions have long been a part of the fight against racism, but we can and should do more – as should the government and employers across the UK.”

Countering the narrative

Unite national equalities officer Harish Patel blamed the sudden surge of racism on the inflammatory rhetoric that became commonplace during the Brexit debate and demanded that the proposals to close regional Equality and Human Rights Council (EHRC) offices be scrapped.

“The rise in the increase in racist and xenophobic incidents is a direct result of the language used during the EU referendum,” he said. “The government must take firm action now which must include reversing the cuts on local equality councils, who are far better placed to bring harmony and unity to their communities.”

“Unite is already working with employers to ensure they are taking effective measures in the workplace to tackle any racist and xenophobic incidents,” Patel added.

Staff at the Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) campaign have been dealing with the fallout of the normalisation of anti-immigrant sentiment in classrooms across the country for the past few years, according to the campaign’s coordinator Gavin Sutherland.

Sutherland welcomed the TUC’s report and reminded those with a public voice of their duty not to spread fear and misinformation.

“The media and politicians have a responsibility to present a factual debate about immigration,” he said. “The consequences of not doing so are increased intolerance and prejudice in society, which becomes evident in younger people too.

“Education is incredibly important in challenging racism and campaigns, trade unions, teachers and parents currently face an uphill battle to counter the mainstream narrative.”