Dr Shabna Begum, CEO of the Runneymede Trust, delivered this year’s John Hamilton Lifelong Learning Lecture, entitled, ‘Boats, riots and hotels. Putting the Race Relations Act of 1965 into context.’
In 1965, the Labour government passed the country’s first Race Relations Act, outlawing discrimination in public amenities. The law was introduced against a backdrop of the 1958 racist riots, growing anxieties around immigration, and the rise of the far right. Dr Begum’s lecture brought the audience forward 60 years, exploring contemporary issues that echo those of six decades ago.
Dr Shabna Begum said: “At this 60-year juncture, it is timely to revisit who ‘we’ imagined we were when we passed the first Race Relations Act and who we now imagine ‘us’ to be. The question is not only about legal progress, but about the deeper social contract – how inclusive our vision of society truly is.”
Read more about the 2025 lecture & view slides and the transcript here.
About the John Hamilton Lecture Series
The annual lecture honours John Hamilton (1922–2006), a former leader of Liverpool City Council and lifelong advocate for education. Hamilton began his career as a teacher and remained committed to widening access to learning for working-class communities.
Following his death, a fund he bequeathed to the University of Liverpool established the John Hamilton Lifelong Learning Lecture series, delivered by the Centre for Lifelong Learning. The series invites speakers who combine expertise in their field with a commitment to public education.