Usefully Employed

I once saw written somewhere that Harriet Harman would fail the “wouldn’t mind having a pint with her in the pub” test*, and one only has to listen to her speak to see why. Hot on the heels of positive discrimination comes the institution of the National Equality Panel, announced in a speech to the TUC. It will be an academic panel, and will:

• provide a factual analysis of how equality trends have changed over the last ten years and map out exactly where gaps have narrowed and widened in society.
• investigate how people’s life chances are affected by gender, race, disability, age and other important aspects of inequality such as where they were born, what kind of family they were born into, where they live and their wealth; and
• show how these factors inter-relate and reinforce one another.

…all of which will presumably inform subsequent legislation. So really it’s a commission. The interesting thing about the move is that it doesn’t choose from characteristic-based differences, such as race, sex, age and so on, but as you have just read, “aspects of inequality such as where they were born, what kind of family there were born into, where they live and their wealth.” In other words, class, and Harman’s bowdlerisation of her speech to exclude mention of the word has caused rather a row.

I am pleased with the move, as I think economic background has been left out in the battle to create equality of opportunity. Creating aspiration amongst those who have never known it is in no way exclusive to right wing politics, and I hope the panel’s report generates consensus when it is released in a year’s time.

*I am unreliably informed that Des Browne, Defence Secretary, does pass this test.