2024 General Election: Make Equality Real
We’ve talked about the need for the socio-economic duty for a long time. This general election gives us a chance to finally implement it across the UK, opening up new ways for people to demand better conditions for themselves and making future austerity more difficult to impose on us without breaking the law.
That’s why we joined the General Federation of Trade Unions to call on all parties to implement the socio-economic duty after the election.
During this general election campaign, we are directly calling on all parties to make a clear commitment in their manifestos to make section 1 of the equality act law – the socio-economic duty, reducing poverty, to help make austerity unlawful.
We believe that socio-economic duty should be written into the Equality Act 2010 as part of a campaign to end austerity and make equality real. Ensuring that everyone in Britain can live secure and fulfilling lives.
It has been 14 years since the implementation of ‘Austerity’ policies in our country. We are asking the public to sign this petition and help us make austerity unlawful.
This campaign is supported by: Artists’ Union England (AUE), Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP), Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) Community, General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU), National Association of Headteachers (NAHT), National Association of Probation Officers (NAPO),National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), Social Workers Union (SWU), The Equality Trust.
What is the socio-economic duty?
The socio-economic duty is a part of the Equality Act (2010) that the then-new Conservative-Lib Dem government chose not to implement.
It would require public bodies to consider a decision’s socio-economic impact on the people it affects.
This would encourage government to make tackling inequality a priority, although it wouldn’t be legally enforceable.
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