Stop and search failure
ONLY ONE in every 400 'stop and searches' leads to arrest, official figures reveal. The guardian reported that the number of stops under anti-terrorism laws in 2005/6 showed a 34% rise on the previous year to 44,543.
Asian people faced an 84% increase, black people a 51% increase, searches of "other" ethnic groups rose 36% and white people faced a 24% increase. Despite government initiatives to counter racism in the police, launched after the inquiry into the Stephen Lawrence case, clearly nothing much has changed.
The guardian also reported that the number of racist incidents recorded by police rose 4%, to 60,407, though the government says this is only a fraction of those that occurred. Racially or religiously aggravated offences rose by 12% to 41,382.
Given the racist language and policies coming from some MPs, it is no surprise the problem persists. From Gordon Brown's "British jobs for British people" to Tory MP Nigel Hastilow's claim that Enoch Powell was "right on immigration", political leaders use the politics of divide and rule to divert anger away from themselves and the policies of attacks on public services they are responsible for.
Sarah Sachs-Eldridge
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In The Socialist 8 November 2007:
Sick of the profit system? Come to Socialism 2007
Socialist Party workplace news
PCS backs further strike action
Build the left in the public-sector trade unions
International socialist news and analysis
Martial law imposed in Pakistan
Israel: Café waiters' strike victory
Free detained Nigerian students
Socialist Party news and analysis
'Competition' dominated by a few giants
Corporate crime: Sign of an out-of-control economy
Jean Charles de Menezes: Unanswered questions after court case
Why Prince of mortgages resigned
Socialist Party NHS campaign
Don't just 'celebrate' the NHS - fight back
Staff shortages cause stress and anger
Support strikers at Northern General Hospital
Health workers strike against sacking
Education feature
Education, Education, Education
New schools but not enough rooms
NUT elections: "What are we waiting for?"
Workplace news
Fight Royal Mail victimisation
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