New Year's Day 2011

No new year's resolutions, but I'd like to persuade the Government to

(1) activate S 9(5) of the Equality Act 2010, effectively making caste a protected characteristic along with gender, race, sexual orientation etc

(2) review the countries listed as 'safe' in S 94(4) of the Nationality Immigration and Asylum Act, particularly those deemed safe for men but not for women, with a view to restoring the right of appeal against refusal of an asylum application based on sexual orientation

(3) preserve the requirement that local authorities should grant planning permission for Gypsy sites in accordance with the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Needs Assessments, so as to eliminate unauthorised encampments.