ONLY two in five ethnic minority householders own their homes compared to two in three white British households, a racial audit commissioned by prime minister Theresa May has revealed.
Employment rates overall are far higher for white people (75.7 per cent) than ethnic minority groups (63.9 per cent) across the country, the report also revealed.
The damning findings, which will expose the way people from ethnic minorities are treated in the UK, are due to be released in full next Tuesday (10), a year after the prime minister ordered the audit in 2016.
The unprecedented audit will confront what the prime minister calls “uncomfortable truths” and also “hold a mirror up to society”.
Among other findings, the audit has revealed that more than nine in ten head teachers are white British and the unemployment rate for ethnic minorities of a working age is almost double that for white British groups (eight per cent compared to 4.6 per cent).
In addressing the findings, May has pledged to set out targeted action in “hotspot” areas where there are large gaps in employment, including expanding mentoring programmes to help people into work.
There will also be additional traineeship programmes to help young people find work.
Dawn Butler MP, Labour’s shadow minister for women and equalities, criticised the delay in publishing the report and said it is more evidence of a government that is “all talk and little action”.
May initially promised to publish the findings of the audit before summer 2017, but has instead delayed the release until next Tuesday (10).
“The prime minister said the audit’s findings would prove difficult reading,” Butler said.
“When the report is published, it must be in a full and transparent manner and proposals must immediately be brought forward to tackle racial disparities. We cannot wait another year.”
Liberal Democrats leader Sir Vince Cable said the audit shows prejudice and bias continues to “blight” people’s life chances and it is “utterly unacceptable” in modern
day Britain.
Sir Vince said: “It is not right that our BAME friends and neighbours are far less likely to have a job or own their home – it is an unfairness that should have ended long ago.”
The Lib Dem leader added the challenges laid out in the audit will only be overcome if “we all work together”.
“Theresa May’s decision to shine a light on this issue means she can’t now shy away from tackling the causes of this inequality – cuts to public services and a shrinking state. Tackling inequality will need the devotion of all her ministers,” he said.
The full audit will be published on the website, Ethnicity Facts and Figures, next week.
After launching the review in August last year, the prime minister promised to “shine a light” on how British public services treat people of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
