LABOUR’s plans for a race equality Act are a welcome step forward in tackling rising pay disparity, the TUC said today.

The party announced it would toughen up equal pay laws for black, Asian and minority ethnic and disabled workers so they are on a par with those for women. 

BAME and disability pay gap reporting would become mandatory and the party would also enact new protections against dual discrimination — allowing, for example, a BAME woman to bring one discrimination claim for sexism and racism rather than one for each protected characteristic.