A UNITED Nations body has urged Britain to rein in racist hate speech by politicians and prominent public figures.
A report compiled by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination said that members were “particularly concerned” about recurring racist acts and violence by the far right.
It noted hate speech spouted by politicians and public figures, urging authorities to “publicly reject and condemn” the use of such language.
The committee said that news outlets should be held accountable for how they describe minority communities and for publishing articles that incite hatred.
It called for thorough investigations into racist hate crimes and strict penalties for those who perpetrate them, plus stronger measures to tackle hate speech on social media.
The report was published after racist riots followed the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport.
Far-right agitators exploited the tragedy to spread disinformation, with Reform MP and party leader Nigel Farage fuelling conspiracy theories by asking whether the “truth was being withheld.”
The report examined Britain’s record on addressing race discrimination over a four-year period, during which the Tories spouted racist hate as they pledged to “stop the boats,” in reference to refugees making the perilous Channel crossing.
The committee also slammed the Prevent scheme, which supposedly seek to reduce support for terrorism by tackling its ideological causes, saying that it creates an “atmosphere of suspicion” towards Muslim communities and has a negative impact on their freedom and rights.
Britain was also urged to combat racial discrimination in policing, with the report saying that improvements were needed across the criminal justice system for people to feel safe enough to report racist incidents.
The committee expressed concern about the high number of strip-searches of ethnic minority people, especially children, and called for an independent body to investigate racial profiling by police.
It also noted the increased presence of police in schools with large non-white populations.
The committee said it “remains concerned” about the school curriculum being short on balanced accounts of colonialism and the slave trade, noting that their legacies “continue to fuel racism, intolerance, racial stereotypes and racial discrimination.”
Stand up to Racism co-convener Sabby Dhalu said: “We welcome the findings of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“Crucially, the report notes the legacy of colonialism and enslavement, which continue to fuel racism today, and suggests the British government should consider making a formal apology for its involvement in slavery and commit to reparations.
“We strongly urge Keir Starmer to implement this important recommendation.”
