2012 Olympics could show the diverse nature of British society.

A Labour Think Tank has suggested that Black people should appear on British bank notes.

The Fabian Society is calling for 'practical measures' to create a new definition of Britishness to include Black and Asian people.

Sunder Katwala of the Fabian Society said: 'Our national symbols should reflect the nation we are today. The design of notes is not set in stone,' says Sunder. 'What I would like to see is a 'Great Britons-style 'Great British Banknote debate' hosted by the BBC. We could decide to have a set of categories including arts, science, literature, Britain's global links and pioneers of democracy, and then argue about how we could best represent these. We would all learn some surprising things about our history. Having a debate would be a positive development.'

Writing in the Fabian Review, historian Linda Colley - an adviser to Tony Blair - also backed the idea. 'Why are the people on British bank notes always white? Why not have Olaudah Equiano, the great 18th century anti-slavery writer, or the first Indian MP? Said Linda.

The group, which has close links with Downing Street, also called for a written constitution setting down rights and responsibilities. It would also change the traditional coronation into a 'multi-faith ceremony'.

And it suggests ending an honours system with awards such as the Order of the British Empire and replacing it with an Order of British Citizens. Black British poet Benjamin Zephaniah refused an OBE in 2003 because he said the word 'empire' reminded him of slavery, thousands of years of brutality and how his foremothers were raped and his forefathers brutalised.

For younger people the group suggests introducing a compulsory community service scheme for 16 and 21-year-olds to ensure they work with youngsters of different backgrounds. The society wants to tackle discrimination in employment and promote a social and ethnic mix in school intakes.

Going even further than some would like the Fabian Society also wants to use the run-up to the 2012 Olympics in London to show the diverse nature of British society.

TThe report comes as the Government considers measures to break down barriers between white, Asian and black people.

Intermix Founder Sharron Hall adds:
As usual missing from the report is any mention of the UK's growing mixed-race population and I wonder how the government can hope to promote racial harmony when it fails to recognise the children that grow from racial unions.

Many of the names suggested for the bank notes are actually such as Mary Seacole, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Daley Thompson and Dame Shirley Bassey are mixed-race. Isn't it time we mentioned that and gave the growing number of mixed-race children in the UK some icons they could identify with.

Young people seem to have very few problems mixing with others from different backgrounds. If you really want to tackle discrimination in the UK you need to start with the stuffy politicians who refuse to recognise that they are part of the problem.

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