Racial inequality in Britain is widening, watchdog warns

Urgent action is needed to address widening racial inequalities and an increase in racially motivated hate crimes in the UK, says a human rights watchdog.

A report from Equalities and Human Rights Commission examined a wide range of issues, including education, employment, housing, pay and living standards, health and criminal justice, and found an "alarming picture".

"It is the biggest ever review of race equality and its findings are damning," says The Independent.

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Committee chairman David Isaac said the report "reveals a very worrying combination of a post-Brexit rise in hate crime and long-term systemic unfairness and race inequality."

He added: "If you are black or an ethnic minority in modern Britain, it can often still feel like you're living in a different world, never mind being part of a one nation society."

Among the review's findings were:

• black people are more than twice as likely to be murdered as white people;
• black people are much more likely to be treated harshly in the criminal justice system;
• black, Asian and ethnic minority workers with degrees are two and a half times more likely to be unemployed than white workers with degrees;
• black workers are more than twice as likely to be in insecure forms of employment and are paid less
• ethnic minorities are still "hugely under-represented" in positions of power;
• and life chances for young ethnic minorities are the worst they have been for generations

There have been some positive developments, with the last general election boosting the proportion of ethnic minority MPs from 4.2 per cent to 6.3 per cent.

"However, this is not nearly enough progress and much more still needs to be done," the report says, calling for a comprehensive, coordinated and long-term government strategy "with clear and measurable outcomes" to achieve race equality.

A government spokesperson told the BBC "real progress" was being made with regards to racial inequality, saying black and ethnic minority employment rates were at their highest levels for 15 years.

"But there is clearly more to do, which is why we are delivering a comprehensive race equality programme on employment, university places, apprenticeships, start-up loans and recruitment to the police and armed forces," she added.

Isaac said Prime Minister Theresa May's vow to address racial inequalities was "very encouraging", but previous efforts had been "piecemeal and stuttering" with "more platitudes than policies".

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