Is the UK racist? Report's positive picture draws skepticism

“They say he is shortly off to the Congo. No doubt the AK47s will fall silent, and the pangas will stop their hacking of human flesh, and the tribal warriors will all break out in watermelon smiles to see the big white chief touch down in his big white British taxpayer-funded bird.”

 “What a relief it must be for Blair to get out of England. It is said that the Queen has come to love the Commonwealth, partly because it supplies her with regular cheering crowds of flag-waving piccaninnies; and one can imagine that Blair, twice victor abroad but enmired at home, is similarly seduced by foreign politeness.”

When the then future Foreign Secretary, and future leader of the Conservative Party Boris Johnson, can say this, and STILL get elected Prime Minister, then I would say, yes, the UK is institutionally racist.

"...children from many minority backgrounds do better in school than white students...

That is strong evidence, given the institutional nature of schools and the critical role of education in social disparity. I recall a Guardian article that said Caribbean girls are flying high while white boys are stuck near the bottom at UK schools today.

The UK is not perfect but it's one of the most inclusive, enlightened, generous and fair-minded society on Earth.

How about just focusing on people's character rather than thier skin color?

Morgan Freeman when asked about racism by Mike Wallace......

WALLACE: How are we going to get rid of racism…?

FREEMAN: Stop talking about it. I’m going to stop calling you a white man. And I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. 

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/morgan-freeman-on-black-history-month/

Words of wisdom.

@Styopka

When the then future Foreign Secretary, and future leader of the Conservative Party Boris Johnson, can say this, and STILL get elected Prime Minister, then I would say, yes, the UK is institutionally racist.

What part of these sarcastic quotes do you not understand as sarcasm?i

I've got a mate whose family hails from Pakistan. He does the best Ali G impression. It's nothing racist though.

The Anglo West is the least systemically racist group of countries the world. Asian countries esp China are much worse offenders.

“This is a PR move to pretend the problem doesn’t exist.”

After Meghan and Harry shared their experience on TV, the monarchy and British government have been on a tear to try and do damage control. This fluff piece reminds me of the cringeworthy photos of Prince William squeezing the life out of some Black-Brit in a stage photo shoot to prove their is no racism in the monarchy.

Let's not forget how the British colonies were created. The UK has racism issues, but it is a little more posh now than in Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

@sourpuss

So the esteemed Right-Honourable Gentlemen was being sarcastic when referring to black people as “flag-waving piccaninnies” with “watermelon smiles,” was he? Oh riiiiiiight.

I suppose the reference to Muslim women as ”letterboxes” was equally sarcastic, eh? (That’s a rhetorical question, by the way.)

Anyway, given all this, may I ask all those people who think that Britain is somehow fundamentally racist, to please tell me which country is less so.

So that makes it ok for Britain to be racist, because other countries equally are?

Besides, this is an article/discussion about Britain, not other countries.

@Styopka

So the esteemed Right-Honourable Gentlemen was being sarcastic when referring to black people as “flag-waving piccaninnies” with “watermelon smiles,” was he? Oh riiiiiiight.

And “big white chief,” and how Blair could shake hands with warlords who hack off innocent people’s hands so ling as they hide their guns, and the irony of how Blair likely felt more loved abroad than at home despite the obvious obsequiousness behind the fawning behavior of the former colonies. Yeah, that’s sarcasm.

And if you don’t get that the letter box jibe was against making women cover their face in the name of religion, then is it safe to say you agree with that kind of forced covering up?

The debate surrounding racism, prejudice, discrimination, in UK society, is not simply going to evaporate away on one report.

However, neither will the shameless race-baiters, Kehinde Andrews, a professor of Black studies at Birmingham City University, is an appalling antagonist and agitator, an instigator for antipathy, loathing.

Chair of Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities

Dr Tony Sewell, is a stand-up guy…an genuine eternal optimist.

https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tony-sewell

Kehinde Andrews, fans the flames of racial discourse, belligerence, discontent, combining a constant stream of provocation/aversion within society, to create disunity.

Andrews, vomits/advocates a poisonous/toxic political agenda.

In a way, David Lammy's point man.

Zichi got in first with Windrush, but the immigration system as a whole is pretty racist. Until autumn 2020, an AI algorithm found to be racist was being used to screen applications.

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53650758

The restrictions that make it difficult to get a spouse visa were also originally motivated by (racism driven) fears that non-white Brits were marrying their cousins and putting them straight onto welfare. Spouse visas are stamped "no recourse to funds", so it is not even possible to go on the dole or use the NHS without paying in advance. Anyone who believes immigrants get lots of welfare or the NHS for free has been duped by xenophobic (Daily Mail, UKIP, BNP etc.) propaganda.

As for the UK government, while it includes non-white faces, this does not mean that those individuals themselves are not racists, Priti Patel for starters.

Now white British people are a minority in London and becoming a minority in many other British towns and cities. This has happened in just one lifetime. Could you imagine that happening in Japan?

No, I can't imagine that, because Japan has sensible immigration policies.

Windrush is a stain, a true shocker.

The Story of Windrush

The history and impact of the people who characterized mass migration in Britain

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/the-story-of-windrush/

A heinous act of perfidy, betrayal.

The vast majority of immigrants came to the UK in the 50' and 60's or are the off spring of these immigrants. It wasn't as a social experiment or to say sorry for colonialism.

It was to fill the low paid jobs the indigenous population didn't want to do.

The resulting discrimination shouldn't be a surprise.

Mr Kipling, access to a, secondary education system didn't help either.

My English grandfather, refers as sambo.

British stand up comedians made matters worse, Jim Davidson an example.

Be honest you giggle,

Turn it off , but you don't/won't

YouTube?

Kehinde Andrews, fans the flames of racial discourse, belligerence, discontent, combining a constant stream of provocation/aversion within society, to create disunity.

He’s unpleasant. He’s good at self-promotion and basically trolls. I think he described being white as a ‘psychosis’. Very divisive and unhelpful.

The UK has had a terrible history with racism and it obviously still exists, but the modern UK is better than most with regards to moving past racism. In recent times, some have argued the UK has been too reluctant to talk honestly about problematic issues surrounding minorities for fear of being called racist or bigoted.

Jimizo, Education is possibly the pace to start.

Pimlico academy pupils stage protest over 'discriminatory' policies

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/31/pimlico-academy-pupils-stage-protest-over-discriminatory-policies

If there is a means to bring an end to discrimination in whatever form, I am not convinced BLM is helping, add the uncompromising/inflexible nature of religious belief, nothing positive will come out of the media sausage machine.

All immigrants and their descendants have complete freedom to move back to their countries of origin at anytime should they decide life would be better there.

Thought the report was an April fool.

As a former immigrant to the UK, I found it to be both welcoming and hostile. Depending on where you'd find yourself and who you'd meet.

There's little point in giving examples and anecdotes because so many have made up their minds.

There's little doubt that racism has increased over the last 5 years or so, and the government's have cynical exploited the rise of the far right.

All immigrants and their descendants have complete freedom to move back to their countries of origin at anytime should they decide life would be better there.

The island has over two millennia of migrants to it. Where do you want to start?

Now white British people are a minority in London and becoming a minority in many other British towns and cities. This has happened in just one lifetime.

So the demographics regarding people's skin pigmentation vary from town to town, city to city.

They are still British, though.

Britain today is probably the least racist country in the world, and the least racist country in the history of the world.

History of the world, eh. Tell that to the Kenyans, the people of Ireland, India and many other countries where we were slaughtered and oppressed by those who would extol the virtues of living under the butcher's apron.

My DNA test shows that I have:

Tons of mixed blood but nothing from Africa, yet my skin is darker than the girl in the photo at the start of the story.

Get over the phenotypes everyone. Learn to live together.

Get over the phenotypes everyone. Learn to live together.

In an ideal world not ravaged by capitalism, not ruled by elitists... that would be wonderful.

Anyway, the report is a load of old pony and serves only the tories.

It's going to be another long, hot Summer of discontent.

No, I can't imagine that, because Japan has sensible immigration policies.

Ricky G may well be an animal lover and deflator of egos, but he'd suss out a dog whistle like that and turn it on the culprit.

I have met the worst Brent impersonator. At a party, years ago. But at least he had the excuse that he was being paid to attend.

The island has over two millennia of migrants to it. Where do you want to start?

Obviously the Romans!

What have they ever done for us?

Onsens, pizza, brick arch, ice cream, wine, opera.

Yes, yes but apart from that, what have they done!

he vast majority of immigrants came to the UK in the 50' and 60's

Not at all, the vast majority of historical immigration to the UK has been in the past 25 years. In fact, more new immigrants now enter England per year, than would previously enter per century. The odd thing is that many on the left love to call Britain racist, despite having such open borders. Very strange.

But the Poles and Latvians are white... To the racists THAT is the main point!

Mr Kipling:

All immigrants and their descendants have complete freedom to move back to their countries of origin at anytime should they decide life would be better there.

A lot of the second generation Brits aren't entitled to citizenship of the country where their parents migrated from. Are you suggesting they should go to the moon? Christ, what an "exceedingly" naive thing to say.

I'm sure you could go back to Germany, Denmark, Normandy, Norway or Ireland much more easily. In fact, we could all try Africa.

kohakuebisu:

As for the UK government, while it includes non-white faces, this does not mean that those individuals themselves are not racists, Priti Patel for starters.

A very nasty and not so priti person. America has Nimrata Nikki Randhawa, and UK has Priti Patel. The only good thing going about Patel is that she didn't hide her real name and gone for something like Patricia Sawyer. Other that that, besides her politics, she's a bully. I have to admit, I was one of those who was tracking her flight online when she was told to get her backside back to the UK by PM May.

My DNA test shows that I have:

Tons of mixed blood but nothing from Africa

Our species originated in Africa - this has annoyed some racists who try to distance themselves from this. I think CCP propaganda still denies our true origins.

The walls were metaphorically closing in on us in Africa possibly due to a climactic event resulting in temperature change ( an enormous volcanic eruption? ). They took a walk much longer than 10km. I don’t think it was a Go to travel event.

climactic - climatic

Disgusting, cynical whitewash.

This report was created by Munira Mirza, an influential advisor to Boris Johnson. She's one of many former members of the Revolutionary Communist Party now enjoying power and influence as born-again extreme libertarians, closely associated with the likes of Nigel Farage and his shady backers. She's a former writer for the Spiked website, a pro-Brexit, anti-science, libertarian website funded by the American Koch brothers.

Her husband is a former speechwriter for David Cameron, a man called Dougie Smith. He's also the founder of Fever Parties, a company that organizes high-end sex parties for couples in London. Smith is firmly in the web of interlocking think tanks, research groups, PR companies, political consultants and the like, all of an extreme libertarian, authoritarian bent.

Like Priti Patel, she's a seriously nasty piece of work and an extremely dangerous person.

https://the-free-press.co.uk/2020/06/24/munira-mirza-spiking-the-race-equality-commission/

Racism doesn't have a color? Racism can come in many forms. People think its skin color but it NOT! You have Japanese who are racist against Japanese, you have white people who are racist against white people. Some time it deals with a person socioeconomic status, religion, only the words change to match the narrative but still its racism.

I confess I haven't read the full report, but I wonder what is meant by "not institutionally racist". Is it that if you went to the right school (e.g. Eton), and daddy owns a country estate, and you have a posh accent, then the colour of your skin doesn't matter? That I can believe.

A lot of the second generation Brits aren't entitled to citizenship of the country where their parents migrated from. Are you suggesting they should go to the moon? Christ, what an "exceedingly" naive thing to say.

India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Jamaica all allow those with grandparents who were citizens to reside.

I'm not suggesting they go anywhere, just pointing out they have the option than very few choose to take. Maybe life in "racist" Britain isn't so bad?

This report was created by Munira Mirza

@Alfie, thanks for the pointer to Munira Mirza. But when you say she created this report, what do you mean? She's not listed among the members of the commission that created the report (link below). I can understand that she perhaps influenced who served on the commission. Can you clarify?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachmentdata/file/974507/20210331-_CREDReport-FINAL-_Web_Accessible.pdf

But when you say she created this report, what do you mean?

She's Johnson's head of policy. He gave her the job of organising the commission, selecting the members, overseeing the final report and so on. The man she chose as Chair is Tony Sewell, who runs an educational charity for BAME kids in London. Both Mirza and Sewell have declared that there's "no institutional racism" in the UK long before this commission started it's work. Even before the commission started work last summer, people knew exactly what the outcome would be:

"Wanda Wyporska, who heads the Equality Trust charity, said Sewell’s views were seen as somewhat niche: “If the establishment wants to get a black person to head something up and align with their thoughts, we know who those people are … And the rest of us just think, ‘Oh no, not again. Another wasted opportunity for change.’

“It’s disappointing. Not just as a black person but as executive director of the Equality Trust, I know that the structural inequalities are undeniable. If you want to say the UK is a totally meritocratic society, then you have to ask why is it that almost everybody at the top happens to be a white, middle-class man, with a few women thrown in?”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/16/concern-choice-charity-boss-tony-sewell-head-uk-race-commission

The report's a whitewash of not only racial inequality but class mobility in the UK. The Social Mobility Commission agrees:

Inequality is now entrenched in Britain from birth to work, and the government needs to take urgent action to help close the privilege gap, the Social Mobility Commission says today (Tuesday 30 April 2019).

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/class-privilege-remains-entrenched-as-social-mobility-stagnates

Thanks for the link but I couldn't open the PDF - I got a "file corrupted" message, which seems very apt.

But the Poles and Latvians are white... To the racists THAT is the main point!

The UK has a history of Polish immigrants. There were those who fought in the RAF during the fight against fascism. There are memorials there to Polish fighters.

There are also Polish immigrants in the UK who are part of neo-nazi groups.

There are also plenty of Polish people in the UK who are decent people.

Racism is a highly illogical thing. It can crop up anywhere, at any time.

Maybe life in "racist" Britain isn't so bad?

It can be good and bad.

For British people (whatever their skin pigmentation) it's home. It's where they grew up, went to school, played footie, hung out with mates, work, love and live.

Sometimes the home needs protecting from bad things. Why should people have to leave their homes, when there are measures that can be taken against it?

The coronavirus pandemic has also highlighted racial fault lines, with Britons from Black African and Black Caribbean backgrounds dying from COVID-19 at more than twice the rate as their white compatriots.

Talk about a dog whistle. This has nothing to do with racism, but most likely the hampered ability of people with dark skin to efficiently absorb Britain's weak sunlight, manufacture their own vitamin D, and strengthen their immune system against the virus. A physiological factor, not a cultural one.

Thanks for the link but I couldn't open the PDF

Sorry about that. A bit late now, but the link below goes to a page that has a link to the report.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-report-of-the-commission-on-race-and-ethnic-disparities

I confess I haven't read the full report, but I wonder what is meant by "not institutionally racist". Is it that if you went to the right school (e.g. Eton), and daddy owns a country estate, and you have a posh accent, then the colour of your skin doesn't matter? That I can believe.

Good point. The class aspect tends to get more overlooked these days as people tend to focus more on race, sexuality etc.

Rishi Sunak made it to the position of Chancellor. Upper-middle class upbringing, prestigious private school etc. Not quite at the level of restaurant-wrecker Johnson, but hardly the kid from the council estate.

After Meghan and Harry shared their experience on TV, the monarchy and British government have been on a tear to try and do damage control.

It was also revealed that a lot of what she said wasn't true

This fluff piece reminds me of the cringeworthy photos of Prince William squeezing the life out of some Black-Brit in a stage photo shoot to prove their is no racism in the monarchy.

I think it's more of the same antagonistic left-wing media that continues to push the race issue. The royal family is well aware of their racist past more so than a lot of other royal families like the Spanish or Dutch and they have done more to atone from the past especially to allow Harry to marry a black woman and to go out of their way to accommodate her, a woman that has had and was known to be a very difficult individual, we had no idea at the time as to how difficult, but now we know. No country is perfect and every country has had its share of racism and racial problems, a lot still needs to be done, but when you see the strides the US and the UK have made that in the US we had the first elected black President shows how least racist the US (and with Meghan and Harry) and the UK have become.

Let's not forget how the British colonies were created. The UK has racism issues, but it is a little more posh now than in Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

I disagree. You won't see a black PM anywhere in the near future in either Australia or New Zealand, not for a very, very long time, even Germany and Sweden are a bit of the game when it comes to fighting racism

The UK is Classist moreover than Racist.

It's the Tabloids that manipulate the news to promote the response they expect to get...

@Reckless - you go to the Countryside - and you're an outside regardless of skin tone, religion, etc. You're a Townie and don't know the Country folk ways... you may work yourself into the community after a while, and you will be accepted as one, but Country folk are finicky, so brash / pushy City folk can get in their Porches and take a hike. Country folk like to know each other... so you may find a bit more inquisitiveness than you like or want.

In the UK, the Conservatives have always been associated with being Rich/Wealthy and dont give a hoot about the rest of us lower plebs.

As a Permanent Resident in Japan, I have relinquished my Democratic right to vote anywhere; not here, nor back in the UK - I am Democratic-less. So, no one can blame me for the World's problems ! It all your own fault ... those who have the right to vote! So there! .

Anyway, I am happy to have left the UK - it's lost its identity. Minority imports are taking over, and soon I reckon the Royals will be kicked out, Churches/Cathedrals will be demolished and all in the name of some leftish desire to correct some meaningless past grudge issue that is of no consequence to the Common man of today trying to make a living, except to further cause one side or the other to hold a meaningless grudge.

To fix the probelms of today, I would start with a Globally agreed charter of Basic Human Rights.

If a Nation can not uphold its part to that agreement, then it is open Season upon it from others without interference. Once taken over, then the same BHR agreement applies deviating from that, places the invader under threat.

The question however, is, what is the Basic Human Rights.

This needs to be set in stone and quickly agreed upon by all in order to put an end to the issues we are seeing Globally.

Internally, terrorism needs to be dealt with equally - cross border international agreement to deal with attacks that infringe upon BHR should be dealt with cooperatively- not through seeking advantage but through seeking stability, which benefits all.

Jeff wrote: "The UK is "one of the most inclusive, enlightened, generous and fair-minded society on Earth."

I respect both you and your experience of the UK, but Jeff, Try being Irish in Britain and you might have a totally different perspective. Just one example is that until quite recently British prisons were full of innocent Irish people. Irish people don't ever report racism to the authorities because the authorities are anti-Irish also. Irish people just brush it off and get on with living.

There is a lot more openness in the UK than in Japan.

Rights are protected to a much higher degree than Japan.

The networks are full of ethnic minorities talking about food,housing,poetry,sports etc etc.

My best (ethnic minority) friend is of Asian descent, his girlfriend is Polish and he helps people of all creeds and colours in his job.

The UK is miles ahead of other countries...

As an Englishman who spent the first half of his life growing up and working in England until the 80's, I can say that there was racism. But I also observed that it tended to diminish against individual immigrants with our familiarity with them AND with their readiness to align more with our cultural norms, and it is the latter that holds back acceptance of some cultures in particular.

Brits with Indian or African background do better at school than white kids, while those of Caribbean background do worse. Is that really a system where color is a good indicator?