News

The phone hacking scandal and the very dubious relationships with the senior command of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)is providing a fascinating insight into the workings of the MPS. An example of how this works is demonstrated how the death in police custody of Smiley Culture aka David Emmanuel works. The first press commentary on this controversial death as reported by Wikileaks.

OBV exclusive interview with author.

OBV was given an exclusive interview by the brilliant author of ‘Reap the forgotten harvest’. In conversation with OBV’s Director Simon Woolley Remi Kapo talks about what motivated him to write an epic saga about slavery, and African resistance that covers three continents.

In this first part he talks about life on a slave ship, Africans who were implicit in the slave trade, and how he had to get in the mind set of brutal and sadistic individuals.

This week the Government have unveiled the English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Equality Impact Assessment amidst plans to reform the current provisions.

ESOL is a course that helps non English speakers learn and improve their English and is helpful for conducting usual day to day business and helps individuals to integrate into mainstream British society.

Following the wipe out that the BNP faced at both the 2010 and 2011 elections it comes as a surprise that they are fielding a candidate in the upcoming Bush Hill Park by-election in North London.

With over 50% of the people in Enfield from a BME background, it is vital that the people of Bush Hill Park make sure they make their voice heard and show the BNP that their rhetoric of hate is not wanted in Enfield.

The Prime Minister David Cameron along with Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband have sent personal well wishes on OBV’s 15th anniversary.

The Prime Minister stated,

Members of the Chinese community have stepped up their campaign regarding judicial fairness, proportionality and the stereotyping of the Chinese community as a whole. The campaign concerns the treatment of Chinese businessman Mr Pun, whose restaurant and takeaway were raided by UK Boarder Agency / Suffolk Police.

No to the politics of hate.

Tower Hamlets has a proud tradition of rejecting the politics of hate. When British fascism was on the march more than 75 years it was here in the East end where good people took a stand. Oswald Mosley’s Black shirts were seen off in the infamous Cable St battles.

OBV’s Simon Woolley will join a panel of experts headed by Dr Maggie Atkinson, Children’s Commissioner for England as she launches the first Inquiry under Children Act 2004 powers into school exclusions

The Children’s Commissioner’s call for evidence to inform the School Exclusions Inquiry opened today for 12 weeks; and her Inquiry will conclude with her presenting her findings and recommendations in early March 2012 to Government.

Black and minority ethnic communities are instrumental in tackling public health issues in the UK, serving vital roles as doctors and nurses in hospitals across the country. However, as beneficiaries of the system, massive health inequalities exist.

None more so that in the prevalence of hepatitis amongst those who originate from south Asian countries. Known as the 'silent epidemic', hepatitis is suffered disproportionately by south Asian communities who are 5 times more likely to have the disease, compared to the wider population.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have said that judges have interpreted the law too narrowly in religion or belief discrimination and has made an application to intervene in four cases at the European Court of Human Rights all involving religious discrimination in the workplace.

If given leave to intervene, the Commission will argue that the way existing human rights and equality law has been interpreted by judges is insufficient to protect freedom of religion or belief.