and infant health care leading to higher mortality rates; discriminatory immigration
policies and practices; and discrimination in schools including disproportionate exclusion from school of young black males. 30 The British government’s response
was, once again, denial, of choosing ‘not to see’, saying: ‘We strongly reject these
findings’, the report wrongly views people of African descent as a homogenous group,
the analysis is superficial and that the UK is open and tolerant, thus wilfully failing to take seriously or to address the lived experience of those consulted. 31
Different political parties have faced particular challenges around racism. The
Labour Party has struggled to address accusations of antisemitism and, at the height of this, there was a spike in attacks on Jewish communities in the UK. 32 Meanwhile, the Conservatives have faced accusations of Islamophobia. They reject these, 33 but have
implemented ‘counter-terrorism’ initiatives such as ‘Prevent’, which ‘introduced state
surveillance in which Muslims are positioned as suspect communities, exacerbating Islamophobic sentiment’. 34 In 2018 a UN special envoy, Achiume, deplored the government’s Prevent programme, expressing deep concern about high levels of anxiety and mistrust affecting the Muslim community especially. 35 Moreover, she
reported great concern about Brexit-era hate crimes and the ‘anti-migrant, anti-
foreigner rhetoric developed around the campaign in favour of Brexit that had become
30 Mohdin and Gentleman. 31 Mohdin and Gentleman. 32 William Shankley and James Rhodes, ‘Racisms in contemporary Britain’ in Ethnicity, Race and Inequality in the UK , (Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2020) pp. 221-222.
33 Shankley and Rhodes, p. 217. 34 Shankley and Rhodes, p. 203.
35 ‘UN rights expert hails UK for anti-racism action but raises serious concerns over Immigration Policy, Prevent programme and Brexit’ OHCHR (2018), <https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2018/05/un-rights-expert-hails-uk- anti-racism-action-raises-serious-concerns- over#:~:text=Tendayi%20Achiume%2C%20has%20commended%20the,hate%20crimes%20and%20immigration%20cons equences>.
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