MP, Labour's Shadow
Women and Equalities Secretary, commenting
on ONS figures today showing that the unemployment rate for
Black, Asian and ethnic minority people is now more than double
the unemployment rate for white people, said:
"These figures are deeply worrying and further evidence of
the unequal economic impact of the pandemic.
"The Government cannot continue to deny the existence of
structural racism and Chancellor must take action in the Budget
to tackle it.
"The failing Kickstart scheme has unequal consequences for
Black, Asian and ethnic minority people, who are more likely to
be unemployed and more likely to be living in poverty.
"The Government must also conduct and publish a full impact
assessment of the Budget to ensure these inequalities do not
widen.”
Ends
Notes to editors
· ONS figures today show the unemployment rate
for Black, Asian and ethnic minority people is 9.5% compared with
4.5% for white people, a 5% point difference. For Black, Asian
and ethnic minority women, the unemployment rate is 10.6%
compared with 4% for white women: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/datasets/labourmarketstatusbyethnicgroupa09
· Ahead of the Budget, Labour is calling for
the Government:
o To introduce smart furlough to stop any more
jobs being unnecessarily and unequally lost.
o To introduce mandatory ethnicity, pay gap
reporting as well as reinstating gender pay gap reporting.
o To overhaul the failing Kickstart scheme and
guarantee its equal impact for Black, Asian and ethnic minority
people, young people and women.
o To comply with their Public Sector Equality
Duty and carryout and publish equality impact assessments of all
recovery plans including the Budget.
o To extend the £20 uplift to all legacy
social security payments including Employment Support Allowance
and Job Seekers Allowance.
