Discrimination in the United Kingdom

Résumé du document

Asians, and more specifically people from India, Pakistan or Bengladesh, make up the largest ethnic minority in the United Kingdom (UK). Their integration into the British society as well as into the job market and specific sectors like the police forces, has been at the core of many a debates. Tarique Ghaffur's case exemplifies this. These two articles, both from the BBC, deal with Assistant Commissioner Ghaffur's racial and religious discrimination claim against his employer, London Metropolitan Police, also known as 'the Met' or 'Scotland Yard'. The first article, which dates back to 25 June 2008, exposes Ghaffur's career, while the other, published two months later, reports the reaction of the Met's top management to this claim. Ghaffur's life and career, as an illustration of Asian integration is the first aspect of those two texts that will need close scrutiny, enabling us then to examine the improvements made over the last few decades. Yet, that these articles show discrimination still does persist in some areas.

Extraits

[...] Ghaffur's career is testimony to the improvement of the situation: in years later, he had climbed his way up to a top position and was earning over £100,000 a year, with prospects of an even better, and better-paid, position. His contribution to the UK was also officially recognized in him being made a Commander of the British Empire in 2004. Ghaffur, a minority officer himself, has made a reputation of treating minorities just as any officer would do, a sure sign he, an Asian Muslim, had become truly part of the institution of the Met. He was even himself criticized by race groups. [...]

[...] The existence of a “Black Police Officers Association” suggests a division of staff along race criteria. The Met is referred to as “institutionally racist”, a conclusion reached by the Lawrence Report. Similar is the conclusion of the 2004 Morris Inquiry, which found that minority officers were twice as likely as White ones to encounter work difficulties. Also of concern is the fact that Sir Ian can allegedly count on the support of vast majority of Scotland Yard's management”, meaning this is a widespread behaviour. [...]

[...] Another worrying fact is the Met's reaction to claims of discrimination within its ranks, not taking them seriously. Sir Ian obviously feels very angry and tries to make Ghaffur feel guilty and reproaches him with not doing the job he is paid to do. There is the idea that “matters should be kept private”, and therefore a willingness to stiffle and dismiss any discontentment and deal with it behind closed doors. The prevailing idea is that Ghaffur should be happy with his lot his good salary, his being a CBE, his pension scheme and not ask for more, as if this was good enough for an Asian, some even dismissing his discrimination claim as “egotistical self-indulgence”. [...]

[...] A Muslim, he emigrated to the UK in 1972, aged 14. Shortly after arriving, he joined the police forces in Greater Manchester as a Constable. Over the years, Ghaffur was regularly promoted, eventually becoming Assistant Commissioner for the prestigious which made him the highest-ranking Asian officer in the UK. At the time of the articles, it was hinted that his potential was such that he may one day head a police force. However, Ghaffur, who had always been very vocal about unfair treatment of minority officers, was to sue his employer, the Met, over claims of race and religious discrimination, in 2004. [...]

[...] The first article, which dates back to 25 June 2008, exposes Ghaffur's career, while the other, published two months later, reports on the reaction of the Met's top management to this claim. Ghaffur's life and career as an illustration of Asian integration is the first aspect of those two texts that will need close scrutiny, enabling us then to examine the improvements made over the last decades. Yet these articles show discrimination still does persist in some areas. Ghaffur's case: an illustration of Asian integration Tarique Ghaffur's life, in many respects, exemplifies the evolution of Asian integration in the UK. [...]