The Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill was given a second reading. The Bill contained a proposal to outlaw actions which incited religious hatred.
Source: Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, Home Office, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 7 December 2004, columns 1044-1137, TSO | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 7 December 2004, columns 81-84WS, TSO
Links: Text of Bill | Explanatory notes | HOC Library research paper 1 (pdf) | HOC Library research paper 2 (pdf) | Hansard | Hansard (WMS) | Home Office press release | JUSTICE briefing (pdf) | Liberty briefing (pdf) | Methodist Church press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Dec
An evaluation was published of the community facilitation programme - created in 2001 (and extended in 2003) to undertake conflict reduction and resolution work in 34 areas that were identified as showing signs of high inter-ethnic community conflict and tension, following disturbances that took place in towns in the north of England in the spring and early summer of 2001.
Source: Evaluation of the Community Facilitation Programme, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (0870 1226 236)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Nov
A new book argued that community development principles and processes could provide a solid foundation from which community cohesion strategies could address past and current inequalities. It examined the lessons that could be learned from thriving multi-ethnic communities, and provided examples of innovative projects.
Source: Alison Gilchrist, Community Cohesion and Community Development: Bridges or barricades?, Community Development Foundation (020 7226 5375)
Links: Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
A report presented the final outputs of a study which investigated different understandings of refugee integration, and sought to establish a framework for a common understanding of integration that could be used by those working in the field.
Source: Alastair Ager and Alison Strang, Indicators of Integration: Final report, Development and Practice Report 28, Home Office (020 7273 2084)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Oct
The Muslim Council of Great Britain produced a 'pocket guide' containing advice on civic rights and responsibilities. It contained advice to Muslims on what to do if they were arrested, and on increasing the educational achievement of Muslim children. It urged British Muslims to continue to participate in the mainstream political parties. It also described the averting of possible terrorist attacks as 'an Islamic imperative'.
Source: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities, Muslim Council of Britain (020 8432 0585)
Links: Guide (pdf) | MCB press release | Home Office press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Sep
The government published community cohesion standards for schools - practical measures to help schools develop common values of citizenship, and contribute to building good community relations.
Source: Community Cohesion Education Standards for Schools, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Standards (pdf) | Home Office press release
Date: 2004-Sep
A human rights group (responding to a government consultation) said that the government's hardline approach to terrorism was counter-productive, and was alienating the British Muslim community. It called for the repeal of detention without trial.
Source: Reconciling Liberty and Security in an Open Society: Liberty response, Liberty (020 7403 3888)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
A report reviewed progress on the 'community cohesion agenda' developed in response to disturbances in northern towns in 2001. It said that social care and health services were lagging behind other sectors in addressing community cohesion.
Source: Community Cohesion Panel, The End of Parallel Lives?, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Report (pdf) | Community Care report
Date: 2004-Aug
The government announced plans to outlaw incitement to religious hatred. It said that religious and political extremists were a scourge of modern society, who preyed on the most vulnerable and insecure.
Source: Press release 7 July 2004, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Home Office press release | MCB press release | Christian Institute press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jul
The government responded to the recommendations of a committee of MPs on social cohesion. It said that it welcomed the committee s recognition of the progress made since racial disturbances in Oldham, Bradford and Burnley in the summer of 2001.
Source: Government Response to the ODPM Select Committee Report on Social Cohesion, Cm 6284, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jul
A survey found that the white majority population was integrating less with other communities than the non-white population. Most white people (94 per cent) had few or no minority ethnic friends, while nearly half (47 per cent) of non-white people said most or all of their close friends were white.
Source: Press release 19 July 2004, Commission for Racial Equality (020 7939 0000)
Links: CRE press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jul
New advice was issued to housing associations on the ways in which they could promote cohesive communities - communities where there was a sense of belonging for all, and where strong relationships were developed between people from different backgrounds in streets and neighbourhoods.
Source: Community Cohesion: iN business for neighbourhoods, National Housing Federation (020 7278 6571)
Links: Report (pdf) | NHF press release
Date: 2004-Jun
A report said that the government deserved 'a degree of credit' for combating and reducing Islamophobia.
Source: Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia, Islamophobia: Issues, challenges and action, Trentham Books (01782 745567)
Links: Summary | MCB press release | Children Now report
Date: 2004-Jun
The High Court ruled that a Muslim schoolgirl in Luton did not have the right to wear the jilbab (traditional Islamic dress) to school. A Muslim organisation described the ruling as 'very worrying and objectionable'.
Source: Press release 15 June 2004, Muslim Council of Britain (020 8432 0585)
Links: MCB press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2004-Jun
A report by a committee of MPs said that considerable progress had been made in addressing problems highlighted by racial tensions in northern towns in the summer of 2001. It expressed concern that social cohesion should not be seen as a 'law and order' issue. The causes should be addressed through long-term integrated programmes, with strong leadership at a national and local level to ensure all departments gave priority to achieving social cohesion.
Source: Social Cohesion, Sixth Report (Session 2003-04), HC 45, House of Commons Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2004-May
The government began consultation on the issues of community cohesion and race equality.
Source: Strength in Diversity: Towards a community cohesion and race equality strategy, Home Office (0870 000 1585)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Home Office press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-May
A former Archbishop of Canterbury gave an address in which he said that Islam s 'association with terrorism' presented an enormous challenge for all those seeking a peaceful, prosperous world; and that 'wherever we look, Islam seems to be embroiled in conflict with other faiths and other cultures'. Muslims described the remarks as 'unhelpful to the promotion of dialogue and understanding between the various faith communities'.
Source: George Carey, Christianity and Islam: Collision or convergence?, Address 25 March 2004 | Press release 26 March 2004, Muslim Council of Britain (020 8432 0585)
Links: Text of address | MCB press release | Times report
Date: 2004-Mar
A new book described the nature of Islamophobia in modern Britain, and the impact of the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and the ensuing wars. It looked at four main areas of social, political and cultural life: recognition of Muslim identities in the Census and the legal system; tasks facing schools; community cohesion at street and neighbourhood level; and ways of affecting media coverage.
Source: Hugh Muir and Laura Smith, Islamophobia: Issues, challenges and action, Trentham Books (01782 745567)
Links: Summary
Date: 2004-Mar
The Scottish Executive published a consultation paper on hate crime. It examined the case for legal measures to address offences motivated by hatred or prejudice towards social groups.
Source: Working Group on Hate Crime: Consultation paper, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Consultation document
Date: 2004-Jan
A report said the existing voting system had resulted in the British National Party being over-represented on Burnley Borough Council (in the north west of England), and that it could allow the BNP to win control of the council despite only having minority support. The report argued for a different electoral system to prevent parties from gaining power well beyond what could be justified by their share of the votes.
Source: Greg Deacon, Ahmed Keita and Ken Ritchie, Burnley and the BNP and the Case for Electoral Reform, Electoral Reform Society (020 7928 1622)
Links: Report (pdf) | ERS press release | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Jan