I do think that proclamations about our principles as an institution and representatives of the voting public are important. I think that it is crucial in this time that we do make it absolutely clear what we intend to do. So, I welcome the opportunity for this Assembly to support the principles of the United Nations International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

The first part of the motion refers to the global fight to root out racism and racist ideology. We know that it's easy these days to be pessimistic about the rising tide of populism with its racist appeal, but I think some of us ought to cling to the broadly optimistic view that President Obama did set out in some of his speeches. And it went something like this: if you didn't know where in the world you'd be born, or gender, or race, or how wealthy, when in human history would you choose to live? And it seems mostly the case the answer will be 'now'. On average, across the world, a person born today is more likely to be safer, healthier, wealthier and better educated than at any other time. But, that isn't to deny that there aren't differences in different parts of the world or different people within the world.

So, that, in general terms, is good news. But, the motion continues to commit us to strive towards a more equal Wales, tackling all forms of racial inequality, and we can't ignore the march of populism as has been mentioned. The upcoming elections will be a barometer of where we are. We have a party represented in this Chamber that supports a candidate, Carl Benjamin, who says he finds racist jokes funny. What worries me is not that idiots like Carl Benjamin think that, but that a political party openly supports and promotes his particular view. That's what concerns me. And it concerns me also that those views have been represented in this Chamber.

When we mentioned that we wanted to become a nation of sanctuary—