Black History Month is more important than ever – but it is being hollowed out
Why we're shining a light on Black stories this month. Plus: The latest from Reform Watch, and everything our team is reading, watching and listening to this week.
October is Black History Month in the UK, but it might have escaped your notice. The annual celebration of Black history, stories and contributions has been a relatively quiet affair so far this year. When I sat down to write this piece, I had to dig deep to find mainstream coverage specifically linked to Black history – a stark contrast to just a few years ago, in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protests, when Black voices were briefly prioritised and platformed.
In 2020, Keir Starmer faced backlash for calling BLM a “moment”. But as more time passes, I fear he may have hit the nail on the head.
The problem is fatigue. Not just from so-called allies, but from the very people who have poured time, resource and personal energy into pushing for change – in their workplaces, communities, classrooms and social circles – only to watch progress stall or slide backwards. It’s the inevitable result of a celebration that is too often reduced to optics and window-dressing.
Workplaces put on events designed for social media, while Black staff are pushed into public-facing roles, wheeled out for panels or posters, only to return to unchanged organisational cultures the next day. There is still no mandatory requirement for companies to publish their ethnicity pay gap data – a basic measure of transparency, accountability and progress. Meanwhile, schools are under no obligation to teach Black history. A report earlier this year found most teachers have no formal racial literacy training, and that when Black history is taught, it is often framed solely through a lens of trauma and struggle – with little attention given to resistance or joy.
This month, in the vacuum that should be being used to platform Black stories, that space is instead being filled with swelling hostility. Just in the past few days, the Tories – in a desperate lurch towards the hard right – have promised to triple stop-and-search powers, while shadow minister Robert Jenrick has doubled down on his comments of concern at “not seeing another white face” in part of Birmingham.
Just two weeks ago, Nigel Farage announced Reform UK’s latest pledge – to abolish indefinite leave to remain, a policy that would not only uproot thousands of people who have lived, worked and raised families here, but would also strip them of the basic security citizenship should guarantee.
As dangerous, nationalist ideologies like these creep closer to the political and cultural mainstream, and we are fed a torrent of hostile rhetoric aimed at migrants, ethnic minorities, and anyone deemed insufficiently “British”, it has never been more vital to ensure minoritised communities are heard and have a voice.
Here at The Lead, we are committed to spotlighting stories that directly impact Black Brits all year round, and this month is no different. Looking ahead, we will shine a light on the hidden health inequality of STIs – which has disproportionately impacted young Black women for decades. Later this month, as part of our upcoming campaign on child poverty, we talk to experts about the racial disparities that are too often left out of the conversation. This weekend, we return to an issue we have championed in the past – the realities of rural racism, and the groups pushing for inclusivity in the British countryside. Make sure you’re subscribed to The Lead so you don’t miss a thing.
Black History Month matters. In fact, it may be more important now than it’s ever been. But for it to retain meaning, it has to move beyond platitudes. We don’t need another panel. We need legislation and unapologetic commitment to anti-racism – not just as a brand exercise, but baked into policy. The stories we will cover this month are pushing for change, action and solutions. If, like us, you care about the lived experiences of all sections of our society, join us and help to support our nuanced, independent journalism with a focus on people, policy and place.■
The Lead is keeping an eye on Reform UK and their fellow travellers. Get in touch on X, Bluesky and Instagram or email ella@thelead.uk with tips and stories. We especially want to hear from readers whose local council is now run by Farage’s followers.
Reform UK managed to win six out of seven of this month’s by-elections in Wigan, the Isle of Wight, Cheshire West and three in Maidstone, Kent. As the Kent Current reported, activists are (rightly) worried the newly-elected councillors won’t show up to the next meeting on Monday. “All three of them need to be at that. It’s embarrassing if not,” one was overheard saying. Let’s see, shall we?
Kent has joined the list of Reform-led councils likely to raise council tax next year, along with Durham, Staffordshire and West Northamptonshire. Reform’s cabinet member for adult social care, Diane Morton, said council tax would probably go up by the maximum 5 per cent. Council leader Linden Kemkaran said Kent was a test bed for the party’s national policies and the “shop window through which everybody is going to see what a Reform government might look like.” Indeed!
The deputy leader of Lancashire County Council has vowed to take Sefton Council to an employment tribunal, believing he was forced out for his political beliefs. County Councillor Simon Evans, who was elected as a Reform councillor for Skelmersdale Central in May, says he was forced to quit due to his association with Reform UK. Sefton Council refutes the claims. Our sister publication, the Lancashire Lead, has the full story.
Nigel Farage has more ‘second jobs’ than anyone else in the House of Commons and makes twice as much as the next highest earning MP (Rishi Sunak) with £1.2 million in his bank since last year’s general election, the Mirror has reported. Those earnings come from his job on GB News, as brand ambassador for Direct Bullion (£281,000) and doing videos for Cameo (£171,00), among other things.
If there were any doubts Reform would be a real alternative to the Conservatives, please note that 20 Tory MPs defected to Reform this week, over the course of the Tory Party’s annual conference.
The Lead Digest
Here at The Lead, we like to consume just as much as we create, which is why we spend a little time each week rounding up our favourite stories, books, podcasts and films to offer our readers a sample of the work that informs our world.
Natalie loves the new podcast from The Observer, We Have Notes, hosted by Liv Little and Miranda Swayer. This week’s episode asks if the clubbing scene is dead, looking back from the 90s Hacienda scene in Manchester, to the Millennial party days of the 2010s – do younger generations go clubbing anymore? And what joys/learnings are they missing out on in choosing sensible nights at home?
For fans of new media, Ella watched Vice Is Broke, an ex-contributor’s story on the rise and fall of one of the most successful millennial media empires. It’s made in typical Vice fashion, and in that sense could have offered more insights, but it’s in equal parts compassionate and salacious and, at the very least, fun.
Ed recommends JP Spencer’s interesting argument for more places in the North having mass transit (i.e. Metros/trams). Ed has covered the idea of Preston having a tram system since 2008 and it dates back longer than that! He also enjoyed Nancy Yin’s collection of small, enjoyable things to do before bed that aren’t going on your phone.
Zoë recommends Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl. “Even at her worst she is one of the best,” says Zoë (she adds she will not be listening to any criticism at this time). For balance, Padraig liked Ella Fox-Martens’ Substack on how Swift drastically misjudges the lore and aesthetic of the “showgirl”.
Padraig also enjoyed the latest episode of The Rest Is History, which is all about Enoch Powell and his infamous Rivers of Blood speech. It’s great context for Robert Jenrick’s recent comments about Birmingham’s supposed lack of integration.
Luke has only consumed news and plumbing instructions in the last week but he recommends a look at the big gigs levy which could help secure the future of grassroots venues — if the giants of live music got on board.
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The Reform UK deputy leader of Lancashire County Council has vowed to take Sefton Council to an employment tribunal, believing he was forced out for his political beliefs. He previously worked as Sefton’s anti-social behaviour manager until quitting the authority soon after the election, after a time suspended in his role. Exclusive reporting from The Lancashire Lead.
Mentally unwell patients continue to languish for days in Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s A&E department – even after the suicide of Jamie Pearson, whose 22-hour wait there sparked promises of reform.
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Padraig, Luke, Natalie, Ed, Zoë, Ella, and The Lead team.