The Commission for Racial Equality is opposing the government's plans to merge it with other anti-discrimination bodies into an equality super-quango.

A white paper in May proposed the creation of an Equality and Human Rights Commission covering race, gender, disability, age and religion.

Trevor Phillips, the CRE chairman, met trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt this week to warn her that a merger would be a huge mistake at a time when racial issues are at the top of the political agenda.