Wrap up seminar from the Fabian Equalities Forum

Monday 22 June 2009

This final Equalities seminar drew together issues identified across the series. It looked at how the cross strand approach to discrimination can most effectively deal with equality challenges for disadvantaged groups in various key policy areas.

Liam Byrne MP lead the discussion, in which Nick Johnson, Director of Policy, iCoCo, Zohra Moosa, Senior Policy & Campaigns Officer, Fawcett Society, Linda Colley, Professor of History, Princeton University discussed obstacles faced when changing public attitudes to difference and discrimination over the last decade. The event was chaired by Tom Hampson, Publications Director, Fabian Society and was held under the Chatham House rule; this report therefore offers a summary of the themes and issues discussed. 

Three framing points were outlined: politics, the tools used to further fairness and the challenges faced when trying to do so.

Following on, it was then said that inequalities are not just about income disparities but also capabilities. Equally, addressing them is not just about social policy but about fostering a sense of responsibility between people within an increasingly divided society.

We need to equalise capacities and how we create opportunities. We also need to change attitudes so those well-enough off have some feel for the rest of the population and feel responsibility towards it. Whilst it’s about more than money, income is one of the key ways we judge our performance.

One participant reminded the group that the Labour Party has succeeded in reducing income inequality gaps and for the first time since the 80s, earning mobility is altering as a result of policy change. Educational results for children on free school meals are levelling with those not receiving such support. University gaps beginning to decline.

It was pointed out that health on the other hand, is a more complicated picture as the life expectancy gap has widened.

Over the next 20 years a billion jobs will be created around the world and if the best opportunities exist in the UK there more space will be at the top, creating more social mobility.  We need to make sure these jobs are open to people from various backgrounds.  Despite the stringent economic times, we must ensure work incomes are rising, people are supported in excelling and those unable to work aren’t cut off from the rest of society.

Concerns for the future were voiced, as money previously available to charities that help those out of work or disadvantaged in other ways, would not be so in the current economic climate. As the nation tightens its belt, taxpayers may not feel so benevolent towards the poor, hence the need to foster a sense of interconnectedness and societal responsibility towards each other.

This is a massive challenge, one panellist argued, as devolution, faith schools, cultural diversity, an increase in people living alone and a growing number of political parties, are a few contributors to communities feeling evermore divided. One participant highlighted the need to strengthen notions of citizenship, so people are more willing to pay taxes for the benefit of different types of people. Citizenship then, is not just a question of politics, but inextricably link to the debate on equality. Current policy talk is carried out in consumer centred language, rather than the language of citizens or community.

The idea of rights being linked to citizenship was disputed however, on the basis that there are many different types. One participant also asserted that only talking about work when we talk about poverty and inequality is missing out large sectors of the population engaged in unpaid care work. 

Instead of a narrow focus on the individual, the debate should look at the type of society in which individual rights could be exercised. For example, maternity policy is currently about the right to the parent to take time off work whereas it could be re-framed to prioritise the development of the child.

Additionally, gender rights were discussed in terms of what gets considered work. It was argued that caring work should count as a valuable contribution to society and as work. Women have less access to resources in the home, as well as in the rest of society, and so it is not enough to say that if women are employed they will be better off.

It was argued that we’ve come down to a limited sense of equality about personal self interest rather than talking about ‘it’s better for everyone.’  No one is making the case about why a more equal society is better for everyone in it. The new Equality Bill has been sidetracked into individual and minority rights rather than equality.  It is a very limited and legislative approach on a matter very difficult to legislate on- how can you legislate against discrimination? 

The fact is we have quiet progressive legislation around equality in this country and yet the gaps are still there.  The greatest strides about tackling those gaps have been economic and not through equality legislation- the Equalities Bill isn’t going to change everything but it is in the right direction.

This event was kindly supported by,