I have just finished reading Barack Obama's 'The Audacity of Hope', a journal of his election to Senate and the germination of his ideas on "change". Fired up with his visionary, considered and empowering rhetoric, I took a fresh look at Harriet Harman's Equality Bill which was published on 27 April 2009 and likely to come into effect in the autumn of 2010. Frankly, it couldn't come a moment too soon.

Despite the criticism that it will discriminate against men (wait, let me see if I can squeeze out a tear), lead to increased lawsuits initiated by men and create unworkable employment issues....let me ask you this. Why should pay levels be a secret? Why shouldn't women and ethnic candidates been promoted positively over their white, male counterparts and why shouldn't the disabled be given a "leg up" the career ladder? Given the rapid societal changes: single parent families, working women and the demographic timebomb pitched against the general inertia towards change, it seems to me that we need "all hands on deck" to ensure the UK's economic, political and cultural stability for the future.

Remember the Race Relations Act? It was introduced in 1976, presumably after a few years consultation. So given that many parties are only now - nearly 35 years after it was first thought off - enjoying the benefits of this Act, surely the Equality Bill is the best thing to happen to British Asians in 50 years? Take advantage of it right now!