Amid the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK and the disproportionate mortality rate amongst BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) people during the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s never been more important to talk about what racism looks like in Britain. Whether it’s the disproportionate impact of austerity measures on the income of Black British households, the wrongful detention and deportation of members of the Windrush generation, or the fact that Black men are more likely to be stopped and searched, arrested, prosecuted and held in high security conditions once convicted when compared to white men, it is undeniable that stark racial disparities exist across systems within the UK. Unfortunately, as a healthcare professional, I’ve come to understand the healthcare system is no exception. I have seen first-hand how racial and ethnic minority groups suffer from some of the poorest health outcomes in the UK. Compared to their

Schools have been banned from using teaching material that calls for the end of capitalism because it is an “extreme political stance”, sparking criticism. New guidance puts groups wanting to replace the economic system on a par with those endorsing racism, antisemitism and violence, or the overthrow of democracy. Even material that is “not extreme” has been outlawed if it has been produced by organisations on the banned list, because that could “imply endorsement”. Source: Teaching material calling for end of capitalism banned from schools as ministers brand it ‘extreme’ | The Independent

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programs have a long and troubled history, from before and including the Obama White House. These programs unfairly target Muslim and minority communities as inherently susceptible to terrorism. They conflate community services and intelligence gathering, often under false pretenses, undermining trust between law enforcement and communities. And there is no evidence that they provide any national security benefit, which is unsurprising since they rely on theories and assumptions about terrorism that have been empirically disproven. Source: Countering Violent Extremism in the Trump Era | Brennan Center for Justice

Muslim NHS workers have told HuffPost UK how Islamophobia is rife in the organisation, with their own colleagues making disgraceful comments and denying them opportunities to progress or even socialise. We teamed up with the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) for a flagship, in-depth survey of more than 100 Muslim health workers – one of the most significant of its kind. A shocking 81% revealed they had experienced Islamophobia or racism within the NHS, 69% felt it had got worse during their time at the organisation and more than half – 57% – felt Islamophobia had held them back in their career progression within the NHS.   Source: Exclusive: Muslim Medics Taunted About Bacon And Alcohol – By Their Own NHS Colleagues | HuffPost UK