Government launches Black History Month alongside ethnic minority leaders to further race equality

As Black History Month begins, Minister for Equalities Seema Malhotra hosted the first thematic Race Equality Engagement Group (REEG) roundtable, showcasing the government's commitment to working closely with community leaders to enact change.

Chair of the REEG, Baroness Lawrence, alongside leaders from ethnic minority communities, came together to share their views on the current climate with representatives from:

• Department for Business and Trade
• British Business Bank
• West Midlands Combined Authority
• National Police Chiefs' Council
• Avon and Somerset Police

The roundtable focused on access to finance for ethnic minority entrepreneurs, as well as the Police Race Action Plan. It is the first of several planned discussions to support plans to remove barriers to opportunity and tackle race inequality.

The REEG was established in March 2025 and held its inaugural meeting in 10 Downing Street. It is supported by the Prime Minister to further strengthen the government's links with ethnic minority communities, enabling effective, two-way dialogue on our work to tackle persistent ethnic inequalities.

Seema Malhotra MP, Minister for Equalities, said: 

No one should be held back or denied opportunities because of their race.

I was pleased to join the first thematic meeting of the Race Equality Engagement Group where we discussed improving access to investment for ethnic minority led businesses and the Police Race Action Plan – 2 key areas in which we want to address persistent racial inequalities.

I am committed to working closely with the group to remove barriers, strengthen accountability and help create a fairer society for communities up and down the country.

Baroness Lawrence, Chair of the REEG, said:

Collaboration between ethnic minority communities and the government is crucial in this current climate. The Race Equality Engagement Group is working to ensure ethnic minority people have a say on the issues that matter most to them.

I look forward to working with members to bring about real and lasting progress on race equality.

The first meeting took place at 10 Downing Street on Monday 30 June 2025, where members highlighted the issues that mattered most to their communities. The government will address these through a series of roundtables to actively address racial inequality and inform our work to ensure everyone is supported in achieving their aspirations.

The government is looking at what else needs to be done to make sure race or ethnicity is never a barrier to opportunity. The Equality (Race and Disability) Bill will introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting for large employers – a significant step towards greater workplace equality.

Delivering economic growth and opportunities for all are fundamental parts of our Plan for Change. Growth will fund our public services, enable investment, and, most importantly, raise living standards for everyone.