Labour plans to extend equal pay rights to black, Asian and minority ethnic staff

Exclusive: Radical changes in a draft race equality act would give same protections as women now receive

• Analysis: Labour's proposals unlikely to be enough to end race disparities

A Labour government would extend the full right to equal pay that now exists for women to black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) workers for the first time under radical plans for a draft race equality act seen by the Guardian.

The legal right, which would follow a consultation with business groups and unions, would be phased in to give employers time to adapt to paying all their staff fairly, with back pay only available from when the law changes.