Should I stay or should I go now ........?

On 26^th July, the Equality & Human Rights Commission [EHRC] published a statement in response to the government’s Red Tape Challenge.  The statement set out what the EHRC called ‘principles’ for the case against government in Westminster repealing or amending the provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

The EHRC’s statement was made at around the same time the media was sniffing round some of the more abstruse ideas of Steve Hilton, Director of Strategy to David Cameron, such as abolishing maternity leave.  Did the EHRC publish another statement setting out principles which government should consider if acting on Hilton’s suggestion to abolish maternity leave?  No. 

So why the statement on the Red Tape Challenge?

Two thoughts.

Firstly, if there are any more amendments or deletions to the Equality Act 2010 [and there are already a few of its provisions which have been unilaterally ripped up by government], it will offer the flimsiest [thong-like as opposed to control-pant] of protections to people in the equality communities.  At what point does the EHRC, in the shape of Trevor Phillips, Chair of the EHRC, and the government-appointed Commissioners of the EHRC, realise that the proffering of pretty-please principles do not work with the Coalition? 

The EHRC’s statement was followed, coincidentally, by remarks from government minister Oliver Letwin that public sector reform and efficiency would only be achieved with the introduction of “discipline and fear” to the public sector workforce.  That reads to me as nothing less than state-sponsored bullying being given the green light in public sector services.  Given the EHRC is supposed to have a key role in safeguarding the human rights of citizens and to hold government to account when these are being breached or in danger of being breached, has the time not come for something rather more robust and challenging from the EHRC than drafting a set of 6 principles for government to consider as they take a wrecking ball to equality and human rights and positively encourage bullying at work ? 

Oliver Letwin - wants to
introduce 'discipline and
fear' into the public sector

Secondly, the government has not long closed its pretence at consultation over reforms to the EHRC itself.  In brief the plan is to massively reduce the EHRC budget, strip out its function of providing a helpline and advice to citizens on remedies for discrimination, and keep it from taking organisations to the courts as much as possible.  Oliver’s plan will no doubt require the leaner EHRC to also bully its staff into doing more with less.  The heart of the EHRC will be ripped out.

Government has started to dismember the legislation which is supposed to protect people from discrimination and offer us all equality of opportunity in accessing and getting outcomes from the fundamental elements of what we call society.  It plans to neuter the regulator which is supposed to enforce those legal protections. 

Trevor Phillips - 'should I
stay or should I go now .....'

At what point does the EHRC Chair and Commissioners think it might be a good time to resign rather than be complicit in this sham ?  Maybe Trevor and the rest should dig out an old track from the Clash and listen again :  “……should I stay or should I go now, if I stay there will be trouble, and if I stay it will be double ……..”