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Casey Review urges action to address social integration as issues ‘allowed to fester’

More action is needed from central and local government to tackle widespread divisions between different communities, according to a major review of integration and opportunity in Britain.

The review, by Dame Louise Casey, argued that social divisions have increased as a result of social changes. Immigration into Britain has doubled, from 300,000 people a year coming into the country before 1997 to 600,000 in 2015.

The review found that communities in some areas were segregated by ethnicity. For example, in 2011 there were 24 wards where more than 40% of the population identified themselves as being of Pakistani ethnicity, compared to 12 in 2001.

Dame Louise said that some groups, including young black men and young Muslim women, were particularly likely to struggle to get jobs.

However, she warned that there were also problems with cultural and religious practices within minority communities that “run contrary to British values and sometimes our laws”.

In her foreword to the report, Dame Louise said: “I know that for some, the content of this review will be hard to read, and I have wrestled with what to put in and what to leave out, particularly because I know that putting some communities under the spotlight – particularly communities in which there are high concentrations of Muslims of Pakistani and Bangladeshi heritage – will add to the pressure that they already feel.

“However, I am convinced that it is only by fully acknowledging what is happening that we can set about resolving these problems and eventually relieve this pressure.

“None of this is easy. But too many leaders have chosen to take the easier path when confronted with these issues in the past – sometimes with good intent – and that has often resulted in problems being ducked, swept under the carpet or allowed to fester.”

Growing problems included discrimination against women and LGBT people and concerns about children being placed in unregistered schools.

The review linked this to “segregation, deprivation and social exclusion… combining in a downward spiral with a growth in regressive religious and cultural ideologies”.

It also criticised local and community leaders for “bending rules that perpetuate discrimination and division”, motivated by “a misguided but well-meaning desire to support and respect cultural differences”.

Among the case studies were a headteacher taking down a poster about forced marriage over concerns about upsetting the local community; trade union leaders protesting plans for all frontline public sector workers to be required to speak fluent English; and a council funding the work of two religious representatives who argued that ISIS is not a terrorist organisation.

The report also called the Rotherham scandal, where 1,400 children were sexually exploited by predominantly Pakistani-heritage men over a decade, a “catastrophic example” of this attitude, saying that the abuse was common knowledge but was ignored by those in power.

In addition, it warned that there is “very little recourse” to address inappropriate behaviour by councillors, because there are limited means to remove a councillor from post – and government interventions, such as those in Rotherham and Tower Hamlets, can only be used in extreme circumstances.

Recommendations for government

Dame Louise called on central government to develop a programme to promote community cohesion, with goals including promoting the use of the English language, increasing IT literacy among segregated parents, and the emancipation of marginalised groups of women.

She argued that local authorities should regularly collect information that could indicate a breakdown of cohesion in their communities, such as rates of hate crimes or lack of English language speaking.

Other recommendations included a new oath for those in public office to uphold “fundamental British values”; greater focus on British values in schools; more funding for community English classes; and considering an “Oath of Integration with British Values and Society” for those being granted British citizenship.

Commenting on the report, Sajid Javid, the communities and local government secretary, said: “This government is building a democracy for everyone and our country has long been home to lots of different cultures and communities, but all of us have to be part of one society – British society.

“So while it’s right that we celebrate the positive contribution that diverse groups make to British life, we also need to continue making sure that nobody is excluded from it or left behind.”

Earlier this year, Trevor Phillips, the former chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, published a pamphlet recommending placing a duty on public authorities to promote ‘active integration’ between communities.

(Image c. monkeybusinessimages)

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