Race chiefs reject plan to scrap the CRE

Government plans to scrap the Commission for Racial Equality risk undermining the fight against discrimination, ministers were warned today.

The CRE is set to be merged into a new "super" equalities body covering race, gender, sexuality, disability, age and religion for the first time.

But race relations chiefs today "unequivocally rejected" the idea. The CRE said the timing was unacceptable because relations between white and black communities were "extremely volatile".

A White Paper in May backed the creation of a quango to replace the CRE as well as the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission.

It would have a ?50million annual budget and cover anyone facing discrimination, from women complaining about sexism at work to disabled people worried over lack of ramps in public buildings.

A CRE official said: " Campaigning for wheelchair access at work is different from being abused or beaten up because of the colour of your skin."