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Is systemic racism to blame for the lack of diversity in the Scottish Parliament? When the commission set up by Downing Street to examine the issue of systemic racism published its report at the end of last month, the conclusions were met with a mixture of anger and tired resignation. Black historian David Olusoga called the report a “disaster”, while Lady Doreen Lawrence, whose son Stephen’s murder exposed institutional racism in Britain’s largest police force, said it would give racists the “green light”. Convened in response to last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities painted a picture of a United Kingdom that while not yet a “post-racial” society, was nevertheless a “model for other white-majority countries”.
THE rise of online abuse aimed at politicians is a “real threat to democracy”, campaigners have warned. Concerns have been raised that attacks and threats on social media are deterring people – particularly women – from participating in politics. The warning follows a poll which found a third of MSPs have received a death threat since being elected. The survey, by Holyrood Magazine, also found over two thirds of MSPs said they had feared for their safety since taking up the role – rising to almost nine in 10 for female MSPs. Anum Qaisar-Javed, 28, who has previously been an SNP candidate and is seeking selection for the Holyrood election, said the issue has become worse.