572. Prohibition of discrimination under United Kingdom law.

The right to equal treatment has been described as being essential to democracy and to the effective operation of modern society¹, and is recognised in the United Kingdom to some extent by the common law², but more clearly in statute law. Initial statutory protection was 'strand-specific' and provided protection to particular groups³, but has subsequently been harmonised by the Equality Act 2010, which defines age, disability, gender re-assignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation as 'protected characteristics'⁴ and provides that direct discrimination⁵, indirect discrimination⁶, victimisation⁷, harassment⁸, discrimination arising from disability⁹ and failing to