The Commission for Racial Equality is looking for a new chairperson. The vacancy occurred when Gurbux Singh, the last chairman, exited in disgrace. He was arrested at Lord's Cricket Ground for breach of the peace after a drunken display of disorderly behaviour during a one-day international.

Who leads the CRE is crucial. This fragile institution is caught between governmental authority on the one hand and millions of immigrants and their offspring on the other. Sir Herman Ouseley, Singh's predecessor, tried to make the CRE serve the interests and desires of blacks and Asians. He bravely placed the commission at the disposal of Neville and Doreen Lawrence in their fight to have police corruption and incompetence unmasked after the murder of their son, Stephen. But the Lawrences and their thousands of supporters, black and white, initiated the campaign. The CRE, with its big budget, its well-appointed offices, its highly trained legal staff, merely followed.

Singh, however, tried to lead from the front - but in a close alliance with the Home Secretary. Unfortunately, that minister was David Blunkett, who has tried to ally his department with disaffected whites who blame blacks and Asians for their economic and social difficulties. The CRE was suddenly challenged to behave as though it were the Commission for White Inequality. Blunkett emerged as the Clint Eastwood of race relations. Hoping to gain a few more votes, he switched responsibility for the success of the British National Party on to the backs of blacks and Asians.

Singh followed. He blamed young Asians in northern towns for not integrating with whites. Singh was mild in his rebuke when Blunkett described Asian rioters as maniacs. After Singh's departure, Blunkett said he required Asians to speak English in their homes. An Englishman's home may be his castle, but that is apparently not so for an Asian.

The new appointment has to reverse all this, and not quietly. Racial inequality has to be pursued relentlessly wherever it exists, whatever the political flavour, whatever the institution, private or public. I recommend Trevor Phillips. He is originally from Guyana, a country that is a basket case because of racial conflict. Trevor will bring to the job a certain knowledge of what racial inequality does to modern society.