The government’s race report denies the experiences of thousands of people in the UK

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

So, it’s official: there is no institutional racism in Britain. The government says it’s so… and so it must be, for they are honourable men (and a few women, sorry Shakespeare). Hardly surprising when you pick a black man, whose personal stance is that he doesn’t want to be defined by “victimhood”, to lead the inquiry – and so at a stroke denying the experience of thousands if not millions of ethnic minority people who might beg to differ.

And while we are at it let’s all agree that there is no sexism or misogyny in Britain. I am sure the government will find a suitable person to head up that commission. I for one can’t wait to be told what my experience of being a woman in Britain has been.

And won’t they have fun with the commission they set up to show how jolly well they have done with the pandemic and also with Brexit. Better not do that too soon, though. Must make sure there are a few “good news” stories to linger in our recent memories (like the vaccine) to crowd out the horror show of earlier disasters.

Well, I for one do remember and I can’t wait to send a small message to the government in May, by kicking them where it hurts… in the ballot box.

Anne Wolff

Maidenhead

A government report which states that a majority of ethnic students perform as well or substantially better than white students in compulsory education, and that this means Britain is a more open society, fails to notice that this exists only in education.

The failure to look at how ethnic minority students progress in their careers compared to white students would have revealed where the real disparities lie and where accusations of institutional racism are made.

Kartar Uppal

Sutton Coldfield

As a former history teacher, I was considerably taken aback by Tony Sewell’s comment in the race report he has chaired that, allegedly, “There is a new story about the Caribbean experience which speaks to the slave period not only being about profit and suffering, but how culturally African people transformed themselves into a remodelled African/Britain.”

Although I have read widely about the slave trade, I have not myself come across this “new story”. Nor, frankly, can I imagine by whom and on what basis it could have been constructed. Six million African people were transported against their will and in appalling conditions to the Americas in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries to work in conditions often hardly better than they had experienced in the slave ships.

Of course, being human and resilient, these oppressed people sought to cope and often did so remarkably. But the idea that because some – perforce – had to make changes in their lives and, for economic reasons, some came to live in Britain can hardly be considered any justification whatsoever for the barbarous treatment they received from white Europeans.

The Rev Andrew McLuskey

Address supplied

If most of the recommendations in previous reports are ignored or have fallen by the wayside, I wonder what happens to highly discredited reports. Can they be used to wallpaper Carrie’s flat?

Peter Smith-Cullen

Norfolk

Stamp out Covid with passports

After reading your article on what Sir Keir Starmer has said about vaccine passports (‘Vaccine passports un-British, Keir Starmer suggests’, 1 April), I can only conclude that he does not agree with keeping this country safe from Covid-19.

I would be quite happy to carry a vaccine passport, and totally agree with them. If the only way to stop the spread of this disease is to stop people travelling around, then why not?

Read more:

• Keir Starmer is showing leadership on vaccine passports by going against public opinion
• It’s shameful in modern Britain that National Living Wage doesn’t actually pay enough to live on
• It’s right to get rid of ‘Bame’ – but this report minimises racism in the process

I totally understand that there are people who cannot be vaccinated on medical grounds etc, and they can have their own passport to allow them to do everything as well.

It’s the disbelievers that won’t get vaccinated because according to them, Covid is not real. Well, shame – if you don’t get vaccinated, stay at home and stay out of everyone else’s way and keep this disease to yourself.

Jade Bandit

Address supplied

Do as we say, not as we do

Mr Hancock says “don’t blow it now”. More patronising preaching. It is especially rich coming from a government that supported Dominic Cummings actions last year and has never, to my knowledge, moved from its position of support for him in that regard.

John Lewis

Address supplied

Gambling on lives

Denise Coates of Bet365 earns over £450m in one year and is celebrated as some sort of capitalist success while some of her customers fall into gambling addiction and severe debt.

These poor vulnerable people have their lives and their families’ lives ripped apart after being very heavily sold the illusion of easy money. We all know who wins in the gambling industry. Why do we allow this to happen? How does she sleep at night? It’s time the government took action to stop this unhealthy and harmful illusory business.

Simon Watson

Worcestershire

That’s Brexit for you, folks

Colin Bower’s letter (‘Cream buns’, 31 March) about how nasty the EU are to us shows a complete lack of understanding of the meaning of Brexit.

The EU is not being nasty to us. It is merely applying the rules that appertain to any non member of the customs union. Contrary to Boris’ assertions (lies), we cannot have our cake and eat it.

We (some of us) chose to leave, so stop complaining. After all, Brexit means Brexit.

Jack Liebeskind

Cheltenham