There was deep irony in the comments of the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality following the "community seminar" held in Bradford yesterday. Gurbux Singh said that the city's review of racial equality "requires political leadership and ownership. It is vital for political leaders to grasp the opportunity..."

Perhaps it wasn't helpful in light of those comments that no local councillors and none of the district's MPs had been invited to take part.

If the politicians are to drive forward a race-relations review, surely they need to be involved at every stage so they can explain to those also taking part how the political process works and how they can help.

Mr Singh may have been given a "real insight" into Bradford's problems but it is extremely doubtful whether delegates will have been given much insight into how their goals can be achieved.

Perhaps the most constructive way forward at the start of the review process might be to drop the hackneyed phrase "racial equality". Not only has the city a difficult past to overcome with the demise of its own Racial Equality Council but the phrase itself seems to provoke a negative reaction in virtually every section of the community.

The most positive step Bradford could take would be to stop talking about "racial equality" and start talking about "equality," plain and simple.

If we are all equal, it is time we abandoned special compartments for racism, sexism, ageism, disability discrimination and the rest and set out to achieve a just and fair society which is genuinely all-inclusive.