Tackling inequalities must be a priority – starting right here in Luton

We all have a right to be treated fairly, regardless of the many things that make us who we are – from our sexuality to our ethnic background, our gender or identity, our faith or belief system or disability.

Especially in diverse towns like ours, ensuring that everyone is afforded the same rights and protections in work, in hospitals and our day-to-day lives should be a central part of any plan to make the country a better place.

This is why I ran – and was elected – as chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee in Parliament. This cross-party group of MPs will take a magnifying glass to government policy to make sure that changes to the law work for everyone, especially the most marginalised in society.

The nature of our town makes this work more important than ever. I am proud of what we have achieved in terms of cohesion, community spirit and inter-faith work, and hope that on this, Luton can serve as a model for the whole country.

But there are also problems that must be addressed. In work, minority ethnic people in Luton are twice as likely to be unemployed than white people. In healthcare, women from Asian backgrounds twice as likely to die during or up to the first six weeks after pregnancy, and black women are four times more likely, and in education Roma children are three times more likely to be excluded from school than white children. Islamophobia, racism and discrimination remain major problems across society.

Child poverty, unsuitable housing and overcrowding are all more likely among some minority ethnic groups in our town. For women in Luton, there is at least six years of difference in life expectancy depending on which part of the town you are born in, and in some cases there may be up to a decade of difference.

The story behind these statistics is, of course, complicated, and can’t be reduced to one factor. Poverty, structural inequalities and institutional failings all contribute. The new Labour government has shown through its New Deal for Working People and proposed Race Equality Bill that it takes these issues seriously, but of course these is much to do.

I hope to advocate for Luton North through my new role, as well as ensuring that government policy for the whole country keeps the needs of marginalised communities as a priority. As always, if there is anything I can do to help, please contact me at [email protected].