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26GovernmentandCommunityOBVNewsIssue5Summer2010DemocraticInclusionInstituteautomaticvoterregistrationforallcitizensandcompulsoryvoting.Thiswouldincludeallowingvoterstovoteforx1cNoneoftheabove.x1dAndaproportionalvotingsystem.EmploymentImplementAfHrmativeActioninemploymentinboththepublicandprivatesectorsmodelledontheNorthernIrelandFairEmploymentActtoovercomeinherentdiscriminationandthepersistentandtenaciousemploymentgap.PovertyEnsurethattheChildPovertyStrategyexplicitlyrecognisethepositionofBlackandminorityethnicchildrenandproposetargetedinterventionsthatareregularlymonitoredandtheresultspublishedonanannualbasis.EducationIntroducenewlegislationtoendthegrowingeconomicsegregationintheBritisheducationsystem.Governmentmustensureaproportionateintakeoflow-incomechildreninthebestperformingschoolsandtheabolitionofstudentfeesandloansforthepooreststudents.HealthCallanindependentinquiryintotheracialdisparitiesinhealthservicesandoutcomesforMentalHealth.CriminalJusticeEstablishclearracetargetstoreducethenumbersofPACEandSection60CriminalJusticeandPublicOrderAct1994StopsandSearchesuntilthereisnoracialdisparity.Removeallnon-convictedpeoplefromtheDNAdatabase.HousingEnsurethatmortgagelendingbypubliclyownedHnancialinstitutionsisinclusivesensitiveandrace-impacttestedtomeettheneedsofBMEcustomers.Lendingpracticesshouldbemonitoredbyethnicity.AFrameworkForRaceAFrameworkforRaceTheGovernmentshouldcreateaStatutoryCommitteeforRaceintheEHRCtoensureastrongerfocusonraceequalityandtobuilditintothebusinessplanofgovernmentsettingaclearcross-departmentalagendaandtargetsforraceequalityutilisingtheactionpointsfromtheManifesto.BlackandMinorityEthniccommunitieshavecontributedeconomicallyandsociallytoBritishdevelopmentforhundredsofyears.RecentHguresindicatethatby2011theeconomicworthofBMEcommunitieswillbeasmuchas300billion.BlackandAsianconsumersarealsoestimatedtoearnupto156billionaftertaxincomewithyoungmenbeingthebiggestconsumersandspending32billioneveryyear.Awiderangeofreportsandresearchhasdemonstratedthatinequalitycostsineconomicterms.TheGovernmentx19sREACHReportpublishedin2007identiHedthatthecurrentcostsoftacklingeducationalunderachievementunemploymentandBMEover-representationinschoolexclusionsandinthecriminaljusticesystemwasabout808millionayearbasedona2006index.Ifthecurrentsituationweretocontinueoverthenext45yearswithoutanychangethetotalcostswillamounttoastaggering24bn.Thisisacostthecountrycanill-afford.Ithasbeenestimatedthatthecostoftheover-representationofBlackpeopleinpsychiatrichospitalscouldbeupto100millioninLondonalone.TheBusinessCommission2007reportsthattheunemploymentgapbetweenBlackandWhitecommunitiesisnoteconomicallysoundfortheUKandwillbecomeevenmoresobecauseBMEcommunitieswillbeanincreasingpercentageoftheworkingagepopulation.TheproportionofworkingageBMEpeopleinBritainisestimatedtorisefrom11.5to19in2018.Yettheemploymentgaphaspersistentlyremainedatabout15forthelasttwentyyears.Aroundtwo-Hfthsofpeoplefromethnicminoritiesliveinlow-incomehouseholdstwicetherateforwhitepeopleandmorethanhalfofpeoplefromBangladeshiandPakistaniethnicbackgroundsliveinlowincomehouseholds.Withoutboldgovernmentinterventiontocombatpovertyandinequalitythecurrentrecessionwillinevitablyleadtofurtherincreasesinlevelsofdeprivationpovertyandunemployment-resultinginlong-termeconomicdisadvantageandsocialexclusion.TheManifestocallsfortheGovernmenttorespondtoBMEdemandsinthefollowingareasEconomicInclusionandBMECommunityFundingTointroduceapackageofHnancialreformstoincludeaUKCommunityReinvestmentAct1ofbankproHtsand10ofthedormantaccountsinvestedinpoorcommunitiesandinvestmentinprogrammesforcivicengagementthroughthevoluntaryandcommunitysector.ManifestoObjectives1Tosetouttheagendaforachievingraceequality-withafocusoneconomicjustice.2TomotivateinspireandempowerBMEcommunitiestobecomeactivecitizensandagentsforpositivechange.3TodemonstratethestrategicimportanceandpoweroftheUKBlackelectorate.4TochallengethepoliticalpartiesandnewGovernmenttoengageinapolicydebatewithBMEcommunitiesandcommittointroducingnewmeasuresincludelegislationdesignedtoreducepovertydeprivationandinequalityandtoincreaseBMEsocialmobility.ManifestocontributorsandsupportersROOTSResearchCentreOperationBlackVoteRunnymedeBTEGJustWestYorkshire1990TrustNICEMTheBroadwayVoice4ChangeTheDrumMainstreamPartnershipBrookesWarnerApnaNewsJCoreEquanomicsTheAHyaTrustNUSBlackStudentsCampaignBlackDevelopmentAgencyBetterBankingUrbanforumRareCompanySikhsInEnglandFriendsofAlAqsaSocietyofBlackLawyersMetropolitanBlackPoliceAssociationNBPAOXFAMSteveBikoHousingAssociationBlackDevelopmentAgencyBristolCapacityGlobalCambridgeUniversityBlackStudentsBlackChristianLeadersForumBrookesAndWarnerPartnershipCamptonBellLeanderNecklesKatySianErrolFrancisBenitaRajaniaTheBlackManifestoandblueprintfortheraceequalityagendacraftedbyanumberofBMEorganisationsisavailableinfullatwww.raceequalitypolicy.co.uk