London, Nov 1 : A public policy think-tank has recommended downgrading Christmas celebrations in order to favour festivals from other religions to improve race relations in Britain.

A report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) suggested this while pointing out that it would be hard to "expunge" Christmas from the national calendar. It said that “even-handedness” means public organisations must start giving other religions equal footing.

According to the Daily Mail, the leaked findings of its investigation into identity, citizenship and community cohesion also propose "birth ceremonies", at which state and parents agree to "work in partnership" to bring up children, action to "ensure access" for ethnic minorities to "largely white" countryside, an overhaul of Britain's "imperial" honours system, bishops being thrown out of the House of Lords, end to "sectarian" religious education, and flying flags other than the Union Jack.

The report by the IPPR, which has shaped many Labour policies, including ID cards, bin taxes and road pricing, was commissioned when Nick Pearce, now head of public policy at Downing Street, was its director.

Advocating multiculturalism, the report said that different communities should not be forced to integrate, but should be allowed to maintain their own culture and identities.

The report emphasised that immigrants should be required to acquire some proficiency in English and other aspects of British culture “if - but only if - the settled population is willing to open up national institutions and practices to newcomers and give a more inclusive cast to national narratives and symbols.”

It adds: "Even-handedness dictates that we provide public recognition to minority cultures and traditions.

"If we are going to continue as a nation to mark Christmas - and it would be very hard to expunge it from our national life even if we wanted to - then public organisations should mark other religious festivals too.

"We can no longer define ourselves as a Christian nation, nor an especially religious one in any sense.

"The empire is gone, church attendance is at historically low levels, and the Second World War is inexorably slipping from memory."

Calling upon the ministers to launch an "urgent and upfront campaign" promoting a "multicultural understanding of Britishness,” the report written by IPPR advisers Ben Rogers and Rick Muir, said: "Multiculturalism can be shown to provide for a fairer and more liberal society and does not necessarily lead to social division and community conflict, as its critics have claimed.”

The report added: "Any liberal state should recast the civic oaths and national ceremonies, or institutions like Parliament and the monarchy, in a more multi-religious or secular form and make religious education less sectarian."

The presence of bishops in the House of Lords, for instance, is condemned as an "anachronism" that should be removed.

The system in which parents are required to register a new baby at a register office is dismissed as "purely bureaucratic".

“Parents, their friends and family and the state (would) agree to work in partnership to support and bring up their child.”

Pointing out that the rural Britain “remains a largely white place,” the report calls for more efforts to "ensure access" to the countryside for black and ethnic minority groups, disabled people and children from inner-city areas.

Reacting to the report, Sayeeda Warsi, the Conservative spokesman on community cohesion, said that the comments betray a “breathtaking misunderstanding” of what it is to be British.

“These proposals could actually damage cohesion.

“You don't build community cohesion by throwing out our history and denying the fundamental contribution Christianity has played and does play to our nation.

"As a British Muslim I can see that - so why others can't just staggers me,” she added. (ANI)