BARONESS Doreen Lawrence will lead a review into the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, the Labour Party said today.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appointed the campaigner and mother of Stephen Lawrence, who was murdered in a racially motivated attack in 1993, as the party’s race-relations adviser.

The Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre has found that 34 per cent of more than 4,800 critically ill patients with the coronavirus identified as belonging to an ethnic minority.

This is despite only 14 per cent of people in England and Wales being from minority-ethnic backgrounds, according to the 2011 census. 

Mr Starmer described the disparity as “extremely concerning” and said: “We cannot afford to treat this as an issue to investigate once the crisis is over. We must address it now.”

The video-link launch of Labour’s review was attended by Ms Lawrence, Mr Starmer, shadow women and equalities secretary Marsha de Cordova and deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner.

Baroness Lawrence said: “Black, Asian and minority-ethnic communities have long been disadvantaged by the social and economic injustice which still exists in our country.

“There is a clear and tragic pattern emerging of the pandemic’s impact on those communities which must be better understood.”

Ms de Cordova said: “Across our front line are huge numbers of BAME doctors, nurses, bus drivers and other BAME key workers.

“Every day they put themselves in harm’s way to save and support the lives of others. We must do everything to protect them, their families and communities — who have been hit hardest by the virus.”