Boris Johnson urged to reject ‘disingenuous’ UK race disparities report
April 7, 2021, 10:19 am

Boris Johnson urged to reject ‘disingenuous’ UK race disparities report

A protester holds a placard at a BLM protest in Hyde Park, London. The open letter to the PM stressed he should implement recommendations of earlier reports into racial injustice.

Exclusive: equality campaigners say review downplays discrimination faced by minority communities

Boris Johnson has been urged to repudiate and withdraw last week’s much derided race disparity report, which provoked a huge backlash from critics who accused it of downplaying racism in the UK.

An open letter, whose signatories include the race equality thinktank Runnymede Trust, civil rights campaign group Liberty, African diaspora social enterprise Ubele Initiative and Black Lives Matter UK, says the report “whitewashes” daily challenges faced by minority communities and that its claims have prompted “public incredulity and national indignation”.

Since the government-appointed Sewell commission published its findings last Wednesday, experts have accused its members of downplaying evidence of discrimination in areas ranging from health to education and business/employment to criminal justice. Additionally, leading academics cited in the report have said they were not properly consulted and/or have dissociated themselves from it.

The prime minister, who has been accused of selecting commissioners to deliver politically convenient findings, distanced himself from the report last week, saying: “I’m not going to say we agree with every word.” However, the signatories to the letter, published on Tuesday, argue he did not go far enough.

They say: “Should you and your government be genuinely committed to acknowledging and addressing the issue of racial equity in the UK, we would call on you to repudiate the commission’s findings immediately and withdraw its report …

“Disingenuous claims, including the commission’s assertion that its research found no evidence of institutional racism in the UK, have provoked public incredulity and national indignation. The danger is that a report so lacking in credibility will be left to circulate and take us back to the ‘colour bar’ of the 1960s.”

The signatories, who also include Operation Black Vote, Windrush campaigner Patrick Vernon and the National Education Union, state that ultimate responsibility lies with Johnson and urge him to set up a “genuinely credible” prime ministerial taskforce.

As a first step, they say it should implement the recommendations of longstanding reviews into racial injustice, including the 2010 Marmot review into health inequalities, the 2017 Lammy review into the criminal justice system, and last year’s report into the Windrush scandal by Wendy Williams. They also call on the government to “assert its commitment to extant equalities legislation and to uphold the public sector duty on equality and foster good relations”.

Halima Begum, chief executive of the Runnymede Trust, said: “Researchers and civil society groups that have years of experience under their belts can see this report for what it is – entirely lacking in credibility and written with scarcely a scintilla of empathy for the realities of racism, and in contradiction of the overwhelming evidence.

“More worryingly still, it would appear that this report was written to a predetermined brief and in anticipation of what the prime minister wanted to hear … Under no circumstances can this report ever be used to justify or substantiate any form of government policy.”

Gracie Bradley, interim director at Liberty, said the government was “complicit in violating the rights of racial minorities” through the hostile environment, Prevent, prison camps for refugees and increased police powers, including those proposed in the new policing bill.

She said the Black Lives Matter protesters last year, “weren’t demanding another policy report – they were demanding action for racial equality. Whatever the government’s ‘yes people’ publish, that demand will not be silenced”.

The letter came as the Consortium of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Health Professional Networks warned the commission’s report could put lives “at further risk”.

Dr Salman Waqar, coordinator of the 37-member consortium, told the news agency, PA media, that its “flawed conclusions” could lead to “putting in resources and attention into areas where it’s not needed, possibly inflaming the situation or making it worse”.

No 10 said the prime minister had commented when the report was published and would not be responding further at present.

source: Haroon Siddique

Levant

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.