Progress? How can social justice be in decline?

How do we come to 2015, almost 7 decades since the UN Declaration on Human Rights, 6 since the European Convention, 5 since the Race Relations Act and 4 since the Sex Discrimination Act and yet find an apparent upsurge in behaviours associated with blind prejudice, both in Government and wider society?

The media regularly reports incidents of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Feminism has had to be re-awakened in the face of everyday sexism. Politics itself is being fought out in a pitched battle couched in barely-masked xenophobia, if not racism. The current Government is all too ready to stereotype and demonise millions of its own electorate, simply because they are less fortunate: old, young, poor, temporarily workless or disabled.

This has surely happened gradually and through a creeping change in social attitudes, coinciding with the rise and rise of the Market as the driver of what passes for a political philosophy. If this is true, reversing the trend will also take time, assuming there is the will to do so. Deliberate leadership will be required. So is this where a Labour Government can come in; and if so, what could it actually do to pump-prime the re-establishment of a values-driven polity?

First must come implementation of legislation already in place, led by equal pay for women. There can be no excuse for passing laws and failing to enforce them. This should be followed by mandatory gender equality targets for Parliament, local authorities and boardrooms.

Secondly, political and media influencers must be challenged in their vicious use of false syllogisms about particular groups, drawing generalisations from extreme instances. Could there be a case here for an Office for Data Responsibility?

Third, no part of society, whether through power, wealth or celebrity should be above the discrimination laws. All prejudice should be challenged and held to account and those uncovering it protected from any backlash.

Fourth, divisive or privileged institutions should be banned, including private and faith schools. Workplace childcare should be mandatory for major employers, private as well as public, to allow parents regardless of gender to pursue careers.

Labour must preach - and deliver - social justice or it is nothing.