Lincolnshire County Council multiculturalism declaration

A few days ago, UKIP's Lincolnshire County Councillors were slated for refusing to sign a pledge to promote multiculturalism.

The LibLabCon councillors on Lincolnshire County Council are claiming that UKIP councillors are refusing to condemn racism but as you can see from the text of the declaration it's clearly not.

This pledge isn't just about promoting multiculturalism, it also calls for racial quotas for public sector jobs to "reflect the wider community".

No wonder UKIP councillors refused to sign it!

LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL DECLARATION

We, in Lincolnshire, are proud of our diverse and multi-racial heritage, which we regard as a source of cultural, social and economic strength. We will work vigorously to combat all forms of racism to rid Lincolnshire of racial discrimination and to enshrine the principle that individuality and universality are the foundations of justice and peace.

We declare that:

We value the contribution that all communities make to the quality of life in Lincolnshire and recognise ethnic and cultural diversity as a source of cultural, social and economic enrichment.

We endorse the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and are opposed to racism in all its forms.

We will encourage a changing culture within the public services and the wider community that recognises the unacceptability of all forms of racism and takes action to combat it.

We acknowledge that progress towards a more just society may not always be smooth, but as partners we are committed to maintaining dialogue and resolving our differences.

We accept that without transparency and openness in the public services, progress towards a successful multi-cultural community will be hampered.

We believe that the composition of the public services workforce should reflect that of the wider community, and will work to break down perceptions and barriers that prevent equal access to employment.

We believe that all citizens should have the right to expect equal protection and equal treatment from all public services.

We believe that children from all backgrounds are entitled to an education free from discrimination and harassment.

We understand the essential role of the education system in Lincolnshire in developing the future of our multi-cultural community and commit ourselves to supporting and enhancing this work.

We believe that our success will properly be measured not by our policies but by our actions in promoting equality for all the people of Lincolnshire.

We call upon the residents of Lincolnshire to support us in this by respecting the dignity of all people and by constant vigilance for any expression of racism or racial discrimination.

As we said, UKIP councillors don't need a piece of paper to tell them to treat everyone equally.