EQUALITY COMMISSION MISSES ITS OWN DEADLINE

The Government had to change the law to prevent an anti-discrimination quango missing its own equality targets the Liberal Democrats have discovered.

After realising that the Equality and Human Rights Commission was set to miss the deadline for meeting internal equality regulations, ministers put down a statutory instrument extending the deadline.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Youth and Equality Spokesperson, Lynne Featherstone said:

“You have to question what authority this body will have in monitoring other public organisations if it cannot comply with its own rules and needs to be bailed out by ministers.

“Labour’s greatest concern has been to hush up this embarrassing delay, abusing parliamentary procedure in the process, rather than questioning why this top equality body is yet to lead by example.

“We need to send a message that equality is something that is taken seriously across the board.”