Has Brexit increased racism and the lack of diversity in the UK workplace?

This year, the annual ‘March Against Racism’ National Demonstration took place in London on Saturday the 17th of March. Thousands of protesters gathered beforehand to listen to speakers including MP Diana Abbott and Sally Hunt the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), ending in a performance from artist, Ray Blk.

Singer-songwriter RAY BLK performing, 'In My Hood' outside Downing Street, , Credit: Aaliyah Harris

The march was initially established to remember the Sharpeville massacre in 1960 and deaths of those protesting against the apartheid laws. At 12PM, the march commenced along with hundreds of organisations all over the world, from Greece to Australia. Run by the campaign group, ‘Stand Up To Racism’ (STUR), the event took place on UN Anti-Racism day and was in support of several movements including, No to Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, Refugees and Migrants Welcome and Black Lives Matter.

All Images, Credit: Aaliyah Harris

Demonstrators walking through the streets of Oxford Circus, 12:40PM

Demonstrators were seen with flares, banners and some wearing chains around their necks to represent refugees being treated as criminals. In spite of the snow, young and old joined forces to show their support. Social media took to the event, with tweets of praise hash-tagging, #MarchAgainstRacism.

Myriam Kane, NUS NEC on the role of students in the struggle against racism

See the video below for more on the march and what key speakers had to say.

Demonstrator Elizabeth gave her comment on Brexit and why she was at the march:

Since the EU Referendum in 2016, figures show that hate crime including religious discrimination and racism have reached the highest number on record. In July 2017, The Independent’s research of ‘Police figures obtained though Freedom of Information (FOI) requests’ showed that: “incidents surged by 23 per cent – from 40,741 to 49,921 – in the 11 months after the EU referendum, compared with the same period the previous year, marking an unparalleled rise”.

From January 2016-August 2017, data provided by the Home Office illustrates a rise of offences during the Referendum and just after. Roughly 3,500 cases were reported at the start and after, numbers show a peak of 5,600 cases. Similarly, the graph highlights some of the largest racism stimulated attacks that occurred during this time, including the Westminster Bridge, Manchester Arena and London Bridge attack.

Following, police figures show a dramatic rise in the reports of terror attacks. Data shown over a wider time scale, represents the extent of offences. The highest number of offences reached just under 4,000 in July 2015 which can be compared to when figures sky rocketed in July 2016 to 5,600 offences around the time of the EU Referendum.

In regards to Brexit’s influence on the spike in crime, Chief Inspector Dayle Speed, involved with Haringey’s Neighbourhood Policing says, “Over recent years my observations are [that] Brexit has not had an impact in that regard. The terrorist incidents that we did experience were initial increases… over a period of days”.

Dayle says, “I was hoping that we didn’t leave the EU. I think that there was too much of a focus on immigration at the time and that shaped a lot of people’s decision to leave”.

In a statement made by SUTR, the organisation says: “We are facing a massive rise in racism in Britain and across the globe.” A large concern among EU workers and young people is finding jobs post Brexit. Simon Hester, co-convenor of Haringey SUTR says, “Obviously it’s illegal to have racism and discrimination in the work place but that doesn’t stop it, its wide spread. Particularly in unemployment amongst black people in Tottenham, which is down to institutional racism. If you’ve got an N17 postcode or a foreign sounding name then you are less likely to get an interview or the job”.

Elizabeth Ghali, 32-year old supervisor from Poland says: “After Brexit, I don’t know why so many newspapers said, ‘Polish people they are stealing jobs’. I think the problem is because immigrants are taking good quality jobs and that’s why they are upset because we have degrees for that.”

Although there are legal measures to prevent racism in the work place, Elizabeth recalls an incident she experienced and says, “One of my work colleagues, pushed her [another colleague] to the limit because most of the people [at work] generalise that they [select races] are aggressive. She was crying, they wanted her to be rude so that they can claim that, but her personality is not like that”.

Despite the cases of racism, organisations such as ‘Creative Access’ are helping to provide more diverse opportunities. Josie Dobrin, Chief Executive of Creative Access says: “Creative Access is a - not for profit - social enterprise. It helps people from underrepresented backgrounds secure work places in the creative industries... We were set up because in 2011 the Census results were published showing that the proportion of Londoners who are from non-white backgrounds was over 40% and nationally a ¼ of all under 25-year-olds from non-white backgrounds”.

In relation to career prospects, Josie says, “From my perspective, if you don’t have that opportunity… especially for people from underrepresented backgrounds, you’re more likely to have factors like unconscious bias come into play”.

Chief Inspector, Dayle Speed says, “Diversity and equal opportunities in the work place is really important, to my case it’s law”. Dayle says, “A lot of businesses rely on EU workers because they have been filling a gap in the jobs market for a considerate amount of time”.

#Brexit and plans towards leaving the EU has caused much debate about what the future will hold for the job market. Regardless of the vote to leave the EU, there is still a need for a diverse community within the workforce.