On 'At a turning point? The state of race relations in Kingston upon Hull' a report by Prof G Craig, 26 July 05 (3/4)

(1/4), (2/4), (3/4), (4/4).

Welcoming nothing, he is determined to see every single thing negatively, in the worst light, slamming every development as not promising (p.19), glass half empty, when it could equally be seen as promising, glass half full. His language carelessly merges criticism of the City Council with criticism of the city itself: it is bleak (p.20), dismal (p.34), poor (pp.4,6,22), poor or worse (p.1), deteriorating (pp.1,2,7), like a timewarp stuck in the '60s (p.1), a city of unattractive uniqueness (p.23), isolated (p.2) but he also calls North Staffordshire isolated (hence its racism he thinks, p.6).

Hull is a violent city (p.10). With no informed national context, he sees Hull as worse than anywhere else, even worse than places with race riots (which he mistakenly puts in Leeds: he means Oldham, p.22). It's a damning indictment indeed (p.22). What a shame he does not live or work here - then he would know, as those of us who do, that this is Heaven upon Humber, and that with the material and opportunity he was given, quite a different, much gentler, richer and happier picture could have been painted.

To take just one example: he quotes one African student [who]...regretted he ever came to Hull p.7 (hospitalized a few years ago after falling off a bike while exchanging racist abuse); there are hundreds here now, current students and those who've stayed on after finishing degrees, who will say they've stayed, eg as Hull school teachers, because content here. Not one other student or ex-student is quoted. This illustrates the author's inadequate research and sour presuppositions, but also points to the serious negative impact of such a 'report'.

Finally let's see what he recommends. He wants a public education programme... [by billboards] making use of good advertising material, strategically located, promoting positive images (p.33). He wants everyone to recognise their duty (p.29) to promote positive images of the city's race relations - except himself! He deplores language lumping people together without differentiation, but does this himself throughout the report with the phrase BME groups (eg pp.19,22,24,28,32).

He urges official funding for refugee community organizations (p.34) to strengthen their voice; but then what about funding for existing local residents' and community associations? An unthought-out idea suggesting someone out of touch with the existing groups of all kinds. He doesn't know why he had no ethnic minority group responses and thinks the reason's funding. He urges the authorities to form separate BME staff groups in the City Council and University (pp.iii,13) again to strengthen their voice, put their case.

Has anyone asked them whether they want to be separated thus, rather than integrated and treated equally? Is it patronizing, like separate women's groups in the past?

Continued ....Next page (4/4),

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