Lesson Starter
What will I learn?
• Identify the different ethnic groups which exist
in the UK.
• Describe the extent to which racism exists in the
UK today.
Success Criteria
I can…
• Identify the different ethnic groups which
exist in the UK by tasking notes on who
they are and their numbers in the
population.
• Describe the extent to which racism exists
in the UK today by examining various case
studies.
Ethnicity in the UK
•A person’s ethnicity is usually understood to mean a group
of people who have a common identity or heritage.
•Here is the ethnic make up of firstly England and Wales and
then Scotland.
•England and Wales Census 2011
•White ethnic group - 86%.
•80% in England and Wales are white British
• Other ethnic groups in England and Wales:
• Asian (Pakistani, Indian, Bangladeshi, other) 6.8% (2001:
4.4%),
• Black 3.4% (2001: 2.2%)
• Chinese 0.7% (2001: 0.4%)
• Arab 0.4% (2001: not listed),
• other 0.6% (2001: 0.4%).
Ethnicity in the UK
•A person’s ethnicity is usually understood to mean a group
of people who have a common identity or heritage.
•Scottish Census 2011
2011
% of Total
Population
African
0.6
% of Minority
Ethnic
Population
(rounded estimate)
14
Asian/Asian
Scottish/Asian
British
2.7
67
141,000
Caribbean or Black
0.1
3
7,000
Mixed/Multiple
ethnic groups
0.4
9
20,000
Other ethnic group
0.3
7
14,000
White
96.0
n/a
5,084,000
Base
30,000
Background
• For centuries people from other countries have
settled in Britain either to escape political or
religious oppression or in search of better
economic opportunities.
• In the 1950s and 1960s staff shortages in public
services such as transport and the NHS led to
advertising campaigns in parts of the British
Commonwealth.
• Black people, for example, from the West Indies
came to settle mainly in London. More than half
of this group are now born in Britain.
Background
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When the UK joined the EU in 1973 immigrants from Europe
increased. It has increased considerably now that so many
East European countries are members.
There are approx. 55,000 Poles in Scotland. Many
commentators have said that Polish is the second language to
English in the UK.
Asylum seekers
Asylum means people asking permission to come to a country
to escape persecution.
All countries, including the UK have traditionally accepted
genuine refugees.
Some UK politicians would argue that asylum seekers are
wanting entry to the UK for economic reasons (to improve
their living standards) instead of more political factors.
Many ethnic groups and asylum seekers face racism on a daily
basis.
The extent to which racism exists in the
UK today
•Racism is a fact of life in Scotland and the
UK.
•Direct racism – This is where someone is
treated unfairly on the basis of their ethnic
origin. This can range from discrimination in
employment, to racial harassment, to racial
attacks and murder.
•Indirect racism – This occurs where an
employer makes a requirement e.g. a dress
code, which indirectly discriminates against
one group e.g. those who wear a turban.
The extent to which racism exists in the
UK today
Institutional racism – The collective failure of an
organisation to provide an appropriate and professional
service to people because of their colour, culture, or
ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes,
attitudes and behaviour which amount to discrimination
through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness
and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority
ethnic people.
Islamophobia – A hatred or fear of Islam or Muslims,
especially as a political force. This type of racism
refers to prejudice against Islam or Muslims in light of
9/11 and 7/7 bombings.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today
•Race and Education – Although there are many students
from minority ethnic groups who do well in school and higher
education (e.g. Indians), there are clear inequalities in
education. For some ethnic minority groups, such as
Pakistanis and Black Africans/Caribbeans, the educational
qualifications are consistently below average with fewer
going to college and university.
•Race and Employment – People from ethnic minority
groups can be found in all areas of employment. However,
people from minority ethnic groups are more likely to be
unemployed or poorly paid. Some commentators claim there
is a “glass door” (similar to the “glass ceiling”) which
prevents those from minority ethnic groups achieving their
full potential.
Institutional racism – Manchester Met Police
• In 2003, the BBC screened the controversial
documentary The Secret Policeman, in which
undercover reporter Mark Daly revealed racism
amongst police recruits in Manchester.
• Graphic images of police officers engaged in racist
behaviour - filmed by undercover BBC reporter Mark
Daly - caused a huge public outcry.
• The film was commissioned by the BBC in the aftermath
of the MacPherson report into the police investigation
of the 1993 murder of black teenager Stephen
Lawrence.
• Published in 1999, the MacPherson report concluded
that the Metropolitan police force was "institutionally
racist".
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlegfH33SPg
Institutional racism – Manchester Met Police
• What follows is the follow up to the original Secret
Policeman documentary.
• As you watch take notes on what you see.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK
today
•On the next few slides there are details
of some of the examples of high profile
racial attacks in the UK. As your teacher
reads through these with you, take
summary notes from what you hear.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –
Stephen Lawrence Case
•On 22 April 1993, Stephen Lawrence and his friend
Duwayne Brooks were on their way home when they
were attacked by a gang in Eltham, south east London.
Stephen was stabbed twice but managed to run more
than 100 yards before collapsing and bleeding to death.
•Stephen’s murder has come to represent much more
than one incident of tragic brutality by a racist gang.
In the last twenty years the Metropolitan Police has
been widely accused of institutional racism, and failing
to investigate the murder thoroughly.
•The Lawrence family launched a private prosecution
against 3 of the prime suspects. That trial began in
1996, but collapsed shortly after, and all were
acquitted.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –
Stephen Lawrence Case
•Following a judicial inquiry the Macpherson report in
1999 concluded that Stephen had been failed by a
police force infected with ‘institutional racism’, and
made 70 recommendations, including a change in the
law meaning people can be prosecuted twice for the
same crime if new evidence comes to light.
•This eventually led to the conviction of Gary Dobson
and David Norris for Stephen's murder at the Old
Bailey in January 2012 after microscopic amounts of
Stephen’s DNA and fibres from his clothing were
found on the defendants’ clothing. Dobson and Norris
were both given life sentences.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK
today – MacPherson Report
• The report recommends a series of measures that
would subject the police to greater public control,
enshrine rights for victims of crime and extend
the number of offences classified as racist.
• Freedom of information and race relations
legislation will also apply to the police. The 70
recommendations include:
• Government inspectors will have "full and
unfettered powers" to inspect police services.
• An investigation into the Metropolitan Police will
begin immediately, with particular emphasis on
unsolved murders and the handling of racist
incidents.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –
Melo Case
•Angolan-born singer Melo, who is homeless, was
talking to a cameraman in Glasgow city centre for the
BBC Scotland film The Street when he was
approached by a former nightclub bouncer who
branded him a ‘black b******’.
•Francis Muir was filmed racially abusing the busker,
claiming he is ‘milking our country for thousands’, while
he himself pays ‘hundreds of pounds [in taxes] to keep
you in the f****** country’.
•As Muir, originally from Kirkcaldy, continued his
tirade, a companion in a blue shirt tried to attack
Melo, who managed to resist before passers-by and
later the police intervened.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –
Melo Case
•Muir was convicted of racially-aggravated assault
over the incident, which took place in Sauchiehall St in
2012, and jailed for a total of ten months after also
being found guilty of a separate incident involving
abuse of an Asian police officer while out on bail.
•MSP Graeme Pearson, Labour’s shadow justice
secretary, told the Daily Record the incident was
‘symptomatic of a culture we need to tackle, in terms
of racism and sectarianism – although at least those
responsible in this instance were arrested’.
•‘We need to come to terms with what is happening on
our streets and change it,’ he added.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –
Melo Case
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/racist-thugwhose-shameful-attack-3154014 - details of conviction
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –
Case Study - Northern Ireland
There have been a number of racist attacks
concentrated in the Greater Belfast area, since
the start of 2014. These include:
• January 2014: four vehicles were burned out
across North Belfast with Slovakian, Afghan and
Polish families targeted by arsonists. In two
cases households were forced to flee in order to
protect their children.
• March 2014: a Polish family living on the
Rathcoole estate on the northern outskirts of
Belfast were terrorised out of their home by a
loyalist gang who broke their windows and used a
pipe bomb to destroy a car beside the property.
The extent to which racism exists in the UK today –Case
• May 2014: a Romanian cyclist has excrement
thrown at him while travelling along
Newtownards Road in east Belfast. In the same
area a Jamaican family in the north of the city
are attacked.
• June 2014: Two Pakistani men flee their home
in north Belfast after first their windows were
smashed and later the following day, the pair
were physically attacked outside the property.
Want to know more?
• If you want to know more about this section, go
online and access the article on Racial Inequality
on Modernity Scotland.
• http://www.modernityscotland.co.uk/cfe-socialinequality/521-article-4
Task…
• Write a short paragraph about the
extent of racism in Scotland/Britain
today. Include:
1. Examples of racist incidents.
2.The extent of racism (in your opinion).
3.Your thoughts about the types of
racism that exist and the reasons for
racist incidents increasing recently.
I can…
• Identify the different ethnic groups which exist
in the UK by taking notes on who they are and
their numbers in the population.
• Describe the extent to which racism exists in
the UK today by examining various case studies.