Playing fair? The revival of Romani lobbying in Multicultural Britain

‘The future of MulticulturalBritain: meeting acrossboundaries’

June 14-15, 2005.

Dr. Colin Clark University of Strathclydec.r.clark@strath.ac.uk

Introduction: what are the issues?

An overview of the main issues (‘invisible lives’). What is ‘the problem’ (inclusion/exclusion – and a

history of prejudice, discrimination and stereotypes). What can be done? (challenges on every level:

legal, cultural, social, political). Methods of approach? (being ‘visible’, media, and

active lobbying). NB: Agency: new alliances and political mobilization

(GTLRC, European Roma Federation and other civil rights groups and refugee networks).

Multiculturalism and Gypsies

An ‘ethnic minority’ group or not? (supporters and critics. Cultural differences and cultural diversity; difference that

is created and sustained by cultural practices. Diversity = “different but equal”? Protection of group culture – language, beliefs

(Romipen) and a place for Romani nationalism? Where do Gypsies and Travellers fit into ideas of a

‘multi-ethnic Britain’? How far does multiculturalism ‘travel’ in terms of

inclusion? Are Gypsies and Travellers involved and part of these

debates? Where do they feature?

Where are the Gypsies?

Issue: The relative lack of ‘space’ for Roma, Gypsies and Travellers within the multidisciplinary Ethnic and Racial Studies world…

“The student of European history who searches

for Gypsies will find them only in footnotes.”

Lucassen, Willems and Cottaar (1998) Gypsies and Other Itinerant

Groups: A Socio-Historical Approach, London: Macmillan. (p.1).

The ‘place’ of Gypsies?

“Though they have distinctive beliefs about sources of pollution, their culture is not so very different from that of non-Gypsies, except (in Western Europe) for their moving from place to place; this restricts their children's schooling, and because of circumstances in which it is done, attracts the hostility of the non-Gypsies. That hostility is not 100-per-cent unwelcome to Gypsy parents because it helps bind their children to the group’s way of life and discourages them [from] seeking opportunities in the wider society.” (my emphasis)

Michael Banton (1997) Ethnic and Racial Consciousness, London:Longman.(p.163).

What do we know about Gypsies?

Who are the Gypsies and Travellers of Britain? - origins, family and a history of exclusion, containment, assimilation.

Where are Gypsies in Britain? On the margins. (geographical spread, sites, occupations, movement, activism).

Why do we know so little? (economic, political and cultural reasons, on both sides?).

How can we find out more? (ethnic monitoring? the Census? ODPM? PSI surveys?… severe data limitations here – a 5th PSI survey?).

Subject to status?

The legal ‘ethnic’ status of Gypsies and Travellers across the UK.

The question is still being asked today: are they or aren’t they ‘ethnic’?

And, is this ethnicity ‘valid’? English Gypsies (1989) – CRE Vs Dutton. Irish Travellers (2000) – O’Leary Vs Allied Domecq. Scottish Gypsy-Travellers – Informally yes

(Parliament and Executive), formally no (no court case as yet).

Question here of both formal and substantive rights.

What are the contexts?

The birth and death of the Caravan Sites Act, 1968. ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ and the Criminal Justice and

Public Order Act, 1994 (especially Section 80). Latest guidance and circulars from OPDM / DfES

(e.g., GPG - a case of ‘running to stand still’?). ‘Sites, schools and civil rights’ – is this terrain the

new Romani lobbying agenda? The human and economic costs of policy failures

(e.g., eviction costs of £18 million pounds a year - Cardiff Law School research, Morris and Clements, 2002).

Politics and the Media – agents of change?

Politicians and Gypsies

“The trawl through Hansard is revealing… Gypsies are

vilified… the themes are familiar and repetitive… the same

words keep re-occurring… filth, crime, excrement… there

are few words of sympathy.”

Royce Turner (2002) ‘Gypsies and British Parliamentary

Language’ Romani Studies, 12(1):26.

Key question: Can Gypsy issues ever be anything other

than a ‘vote loser’ for politicians?

Are you thinking what we’re thinking?

‘We believe in Fair play too’

We live in a modern Britain. We are proud to be part of a diverse andmulticultural nation. We are proud to be Gypsies and Travellers.

Too many councils, politicians and newspapers seem to think theydon’t have to play by the rules. Gypsies and Travellers are beingdiscriminated against.

We don't want knee jerk reactions. We want solutions that are fair foreveryone.

We need more choice, more legal sites, more dialogue and moreunderstanding.

GTLRC

The Media and Gypsies: ‘stamp on the camps’

“The thorny question of how the media covers controversial

issues has reared its head again, with a Sun newspaper

campaign declaring "war" on a "gipsy free-for-all.”

(Paula Dear, BBC, March 11 2005)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4337281.stm

Key question: are the media part of the problem or part of

a solution?

Prescott = Gypsies on your doorstep

Prescott = more land to more Gypsies

Prescott = Gypsies = “spongers”

Sack Prescott = get rid of Gypsies

The Gypsy and Traveller Law Reform Coalition

http://www.travellerslaw.org.uk/

Formed September 2002

“The Gypsy & Traveller Law

Reform Coalition is an alliance of

Romany Gypsy, Irish Traveller

and New Traveller campaign

groups committed to raising the

social inclusion of these and

other Traveller communities.”

The Traveller Law Reform Bill

Cardiff Law School

31 January 2002 (launched)

10 July 2002 (revised, read in HoC by David Atkinson MP)

Current position: from the TLRB to the Housing Bill…

Making allies – friends in high places?

Many organisations and institutions across the UK are now appreciating the importance of working with and supporting the efforts of Gypsy and Traveller groups:

Commission for Racial Equality Institute for Public Policy Research Social Exclusion Unit Department of Work and Pensions House of Lords (Lord Avebury) House of Commons (until recently Kevin McNamara MP) Department for Education and Skills Joint Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Liberty European Roma Rights Centre European Social Forum

Roles and responsibilities?

A need for effective, responsible, ‘grown-up’ dialogue between the different interested parties:

Politicians Press Local policy-makers NGOs Other ethnic minority communities/groups Gypsies and Travellers The settled community / local neighbourhoods

What is the road ahead?

Where do we go from here? Is it: A question of law and order? …of human rights? …of environmental protection? …of heritage, tradition and ‘lifestyle’? …of land? …of ‘playing fair’? It’s about respect: effective partnerships built on

principles of mutual respect for difference. Multiculturalism needs to be reconfigured: cultural racism

needs to be stamped on, not Gypsy sites or families.