Letter:Racism is still an issue

Sir: It was refreshing to read the pertinent piece by Yasmin Alibhai- Brown on race. The Race Relations Act largely eradicated overt racism in Britain, but this is now replaced with the practice of "lace curtain racism".

A European race relations policy is required to combat the growth of racism and xenophobia in all the member states of the European Union. An amendment to the Maastricht Treaty is an important prerequisite of this. As "race" was not included in the original Treaty of Rome, there is no democratic control over racism by the European Parliament, administrative control by the European Commission, or indeed any judicial control by the European Court of Justice.

TARA MUKHERJEE

President,

EU Migrants' Forum

Brussels