Race, Labour and the Archbishop, or the Currency of Race

Abstract

The article explores how race is being exploited to serve political agendas in contemporary Britain. It focuses on an examination of the Labour Government's orientation to race, and argues that despite an apparent concern, the Labour Government manipulates issues to suggest concern while it removes race from the policy agenda in education. The analysis begins with the Government's response to the Lawrence Report recommendations, then moves to consider the recent claim of an improvement in black children's achievement before it considers the document Excellence in Cities , published by the Department for Education in 1999. It concludes with a reflection on the Archbishop of Canterbury's Jesus 2000 to support the notion that this exploitation of race is becoming entrenched in British society, and that it is not benefiting the black Britons being exploited.