Race law will allow police to be sued

Police officers who are overtly racist to the public could be sued under proposed changes to the race relations laws announced yesterday, .

Police officers who are overtly racist to the public could be sued under proposed changes to the race relations laws announced yesterday, .

Black and Asian people who are repeatedly stopped and searched because of their colour, or who suffer racist abuse, will be able to take civil action in the county courts for the first time. Under the Race Relations (Amendment) Bill, published yesterday, the existing 1976 Race Relations Act will be extended to cover public authorities, such as the police, the prison service, and mental health carers.

But the Commission for Racial Equality, the Government's race watchdog, attacked the proposals, arguing that they were greatly flawed and were likely to lead to only a very small number of successful civil actions.