Two authors identified as stakeholders in a landmark report on race disparities in Britain are objecting to being listed as providing evidence for it, with one protesting: “I was never consulted”.
S I Martin said: ““I just would not have agreed to have been consulted even if I had been asked, but I’ve not been asked.” Meanwhile, Stephen Bourne toldThe Independent he felt “manipulated”.
The government has since said it will remove Mr MArtin’s name from the report, but defended inclusion of Mr Bourne as he had “participated in a 10 Downing Street event for Black History Month”.
The government is facing major backlash over the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities’ report, which concluded that Britain was no longer a country where the system is deliberately rigged against ethnic minorities.
Doreen Lawrence, who has dedicated nearly two decades to demanding justice after her son Stephen was murdered in a racist attack, has said the report gives “racists the green light”.
Amid the row, Boris Johnson’s most senior Black adviser is expected to resign from his role next month after previously describing tensions within government as “unbearable”.
Downing Street sources have rejected the suggestion that Samuel Kasumu’s resignation was linked to the report.
Meanwhile the government is facing legal action over links between personal protective equipment and alleged modern slavery.
Wilson Solicitors, a London firm, has written to the DHSC raising concerns over how gloves made by Malaysian manufacturers with a history of exploiting workers have been provided to frontline healthcare staff.
