We must all wake up to the changing face of racism and play our part in building an integrated society, the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) announced today. On the publication of its annual report for 2004, Trevor Phillips, CRE Chair, said: "The nature of racism is changing subtly, but critically. We cannot respond by recycling the slogans of the '70s and '80s when race was regarded as a black and white affair. Today, we know that the reality of multi-ethnic, multi-faith Britain is more complex.

"Now, when we talk 'racial equality' and 'disadvantage', we are not necessarily referring to the needs of young black men. Rather we are speaking of the stigmatised eastern European asylum seeker; the Iraqi woman trapped in her own home by stone-throwing yobs; the Gypsies and Travellers who will live for 12 years less than the rest of us; and the Muslims unjustly victimised for atrocities committed by a tiny minority of followers of their faith."

Mr Phillips explained that it's not just the victims who have changed; the very nature of racism itself has also evolved. He said: "A recent ICM survey for the CRE shows that blatant discrimination or gross harassment is not found as frequently as in the past. But increasingly we are seeing the emergence of some other forms of racial bias which demand different tools.

"We need, for example, to tackle what might be called cumulative or 'stealth' racism. By that phrase I mean a series of small, apparently insignificant decisions, incidents, or encounters, none of which by themselves could be the subject of court proceedings, but all of which are to the disadvantage of ethnic minority employees or clients."

He continued: "2004 was a busy year, whilst modernising the CRE and improving our own systems we have been working across all sectors to tackle discrimination and improve integration.

"On the private sector front, we launched a much needed guide for small business - downloaded from our website by 59,000 people last year alone. We also lobbied Government to get racial equality built into their spending review process and specific targets have now been included in the Public Service Agreements of relevant departments to address inequality in areas like employment and health.

"We have also worked with partners to secure changes to the Housing Bill which means that local authorities will have to address the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and then make appropriate provision."

Mr Phillips said that the CRE's key priority for the next three years is to drive forward integration. He said: "In the coming years, we will address the issues being played out in the real world. At a time when progress on equality in some areas is dangerously close to a standstill; and when our communities are in danger of sleepwalking into a kind of passive coexistence, we cannot put integration on hold. It is the answer to those who seek to divide us.

"Last year we awarded £3.8m to local race equality organisations with a large chunk of this distributed to innovative programmes aimed at bringing people of all backgrounds together - through activities like sport or youth camps. We know that this will not guarantee that young people become friends. But we do believe it will mean that they need not be strangers, and we think that once they know each other they are less likely to be enemies.

"The multi-faith and multi-ethnic tragedy that was the London bombings has marked our capital city out as the working model for integration in a modern society. Now we have to decipher the blueprint and share its principles throughout Britain."

CRE highlights in 2004:

• Secured Government commitment to introduce legislation ruling out religious discrimination in the provision of goods and services
• Sparked off a vigorous debate about the future of 'multiculturalism'
• Published the first stage of the CRE's formal investigation into the Police Service in England and Wales
• Launched a Race Equality Impact Assessment website to help public bodies meet this crucial part of the Race Equality Duty
• Consulted on the draft new Employment Code of Practice
• Launched a three-year strategy for Gypsies and Travellers
• Given assurance that the CRE will not join the proposed Commission for Equality and Human Rights at the outset, remaining independent until 2009
• In November 2004, the CRE became the first non-departmental public body to be awarded the Law Society's quality mark for excellence in the delivery of legal practice, Lexcel.

The CRE's annual report can be downloaded from www.cre.gov.uk/annualreport2004

ABOUT THE CRE

The Race Relations Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins. The Commission for Racial Equality was established under the Act to work for the elimination of discrimination, the promotion of equality of opportunity and good race relations generally.

The Commission can advise or assist people with cases before courts and employment tribunals and can conduct its own investigations when it has grounds to believe discrimination may be taking place.

Public bodies have a duty to eliminate discrimination in the way they work and to promote equality of opportunity and good race relations. The Commission is working to help them deliver this duty.

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