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EHRC undermined by pressure to support No 10 agenda, says ex-chair

Exclusive: David Isaac’s criticism follows series of controversies surrounding equality watchdog
Britain’s equality watchdog is being undermined by political pressure to support the government’s misguided agenda, a former head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said.
The criticism from David Isaac, the chair of the organisation from 2016 until August last year, follows a spate of controversy surrounding the EHRC, including the revelation of recent government appointees’ past comments about feminism, ethnic minorities and Islamophobia.
Isaac said a speech by Liz Truss, the minister for women and equalities, last month announcing a shift in government equality priorities away from gender and race made no pretence of the EHRC being independent, with Truss saying saying the new commissioners would “drive this agenda forward”.
He told the Guardian: “She says ‘I’ve appointed a new chair and these new commissioners’, and she doesn’t say ‘they’re going to do my bidding’, but it’s pretty implicit in what she’s saying that they are people who are supportive of her approach to equalities, which is a focus on white working-class people and the north of England and the levelling up agenda.
“My view is that an independent regulator shouldn’t be in a position where the governments of the day can actually influence the appointments of that body to support a particular ideology.”
Isaac described Truss’s speech as a “call to arms” to equality campaigners such as himself, because it pitted advancement of ethnic minorities’ rights against those of the white working class.
“There are certain groups who are massively disadvantaged, and to say it’s only white working-class people who are disadvantaged is inaccurate,” he said. “Covid has demonstrated how important it is that you look at particular minorities, particularly black and minority ethnic experiences and outcomes during the pandemic. And just to conflate the situation between geographical inequality and white working class and other minorities and protected characteristics is just a massive oversimplification and very political.”
He would not be drawn on the individual merits of his successor, Kishwer Falkner, or the new commissioners, saying he welcomed a variety of views but adding: “They do need to understand the role and function of the commission and that is to be independent.”
His own ideas for the EHRC’s future and the maintaining of its independence include increased funding, making the women and equalities select committee, rather than the secretary of state, responsible for appointing the EHRC board, and greater enforcement powers, including the ability to levy fines, for example relating to gender pay gaps.
Isaac said these changes would help make the commission, which has had its budget reduced from £70m at its inception in 2007 to £17m, “more than independent in name” and address issues raised during his tenure. These include the absence of black commissioners, which Isaac said was not for want of trying on his part, having encouraged black applicants but having had no power to appoint them.
Addressing the EHRC’s decision to halt an investigation into Conservative party Islamophobia, Isaac said it was only a pause, while the Tories carried out their own inquiry.
“It
“My view is that the commission needs to look at the recommendations of that review and if it is unhappy with the approach that it’s taken and whether or not it is sufficiently independent and robust, if it’s not satisfied about those things, then it should investigate Islamophobia in the Tory party in the way that it investigated antisemitism in the Labour party.”
The government said it had nothing to add to Truss’s speech.
source: Haroon Siddique
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- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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