I note this because I used to work there and some ex-colleagues and friends may be affected:
The Equality and Human Rights Commission, charged with tackling discrimination and safeguarding human rights, has been ordered to cut 15% from its budget as part of the coalition government’s austerity measures, the Guardian has learned. The cuts to the equalities watchdog has forced it to review its staffing, marketing and programme of grants to combat discrimination.
Two other points:
- The article says that the cuts amount to £7m of the Commission’s £60m budget. That’s a little over 10%, not 15%.
- The EHRC’s current Director General is quoted as saying: “The commission’s priority remains providing advice and guidance for individuals, business and other organisations, support for strategic legal cases and enforcement activities and ensuring that the most vulnerable in society do not suffer unfairly as the country grapples with the current economic climate.” This doesn’t mention human rights once – despite the Guardian referring to the EHRC as the ‘human rights watchdog’ – and represents five priorities, not one.
arbitrary constant 