Latest news with #Racism
Sky News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley admits racism in policing still an issue in London
Racism in policing is still a problem in London - which is "shameful", Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley has told Sky News. The commissioner told Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that relations with minority communities "is difficult for us". Sir Mark, who came out of retirement to become head of the UK's largest police force in 2022, said: "We can't pretend otherwise that we've got a history between policing and black communities where policing has got a lot wrong. "And we get a lot more right today, but we do still make mistakes. That's not in doubt. I'm being as relentless in that as it can be." He said the "vast majority" of the force are "good people". However, he added: "But that legacy, combined with the tragedy that some of this crime falls most heavily in black communities, that creates a real problem because the legacy creates concern." Sir Mark, who also leads the UK's counter terrorism policing, said it is "not right" that black boys growing up in London "are far more likely to be dead by the time they're 18" than white boys. "That's, I think, shameful for the city," he admitted. The Met Police chief's admission comes two years after an official report found the force is institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic. 0:39 Baroness Casey was commissioned in 2021 to look into the Met Police after serving police officer Wayne Couzens abducted, raped and murdered Sarah Everard. She pinned the primary blame for the Met's culture on its past leadership and found that stop and search and the use of force against black people was excessive. At the time, Sir Mark, who had been commissioner for six months when the report was published, said he would not use the labels of institutionally racist, institutionally misogynistic and institutionally homophobic, which Casey insisted the Met deserved. However, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who helped hire Sir Mark - and could fire him - made it clear the commissioner agreed with Baroness Casey's verdict. After the report was released, Sir Mark said "institutional" was political language so he was not going to use it, but he accepted "we have racists, failings, management failings, cultural failings". A few months after the report, Sir Mark launched a two-year £366m plan to overhaul the Met, including increased emphasis on neighbourhood policing to rebuild public trust and plans to recruit 500 more community support officers and an extra 565 people to work with teams investigating domestic violence, sexual offences and child sexual abuse and exploitation.
The Independent
07-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Zia Yusuf returns to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as chairman
Zia Yusuf is returning to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as party chairman, claiming his resignation was a 'mistake'. The 38-year-old businessman said his decision to stand down had been the result of 'exhaustion' and working for 11 months 'without a day off'. Party leader Nigel Farage, speaking to the Sunday Times newspaper alongside Mr Yusuf, said the former chairman will now effectively be doing 'four jobs', though his title has not yet been decided. He will lead Reform's plans to cut public spending – the so-called 'UK Doge', based on the US Department of Government Efficiency which was led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. The ex-chairman will also take part in policymaking, fundraising and media appearances. Mr Yusuf said he was quitting Reform following the latest in a series of internal rows, in which he described a question to the Prime Minister concerning a ban on burkas from his party's newest MP as 'dumb'. Announcing his resignation on Thursday afternoon, he said: 'I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.' Mr Yusuf said he had been left feeling undervalued by some in the party and drained after being subjected to relentless racist abuse on X, and made the comments in 'error'. 'I spoke to Nigel and said I don't mind saying I made an error. It was a function of exhaustion,' he said. Asked about the row over talk of banning the burka, Mr Yusuf said he 'certainly did not resign because I have any strong views about the burqa itself' but felt blindsided by Sarah Pochin's question to Sir Keir Starmer. He said that 'if there were a vote and I was in parliament, I would probably vote to ban it actually' but that 'philosophically I am always a bit uneasy about banning things which, for example, would be unconstitutional in the United States, which such a ban no doubt would be'. Reform will hope the show of unity between Mr Farage and the former chairman is enough to quell concerns about internal personality clashes, amid recent scrutiny of the leader's fallings out with former allies. It follows the suspension of MP Rupert Lowe from the party following complaints about his conduct, which he denied, and suggested the leader had a tendency to row with colleagues he felt threatened by. Labour branded Mr Yusuf's return a 'humiliating hokey-cokey' and said working people could not afford 'the risk of economic chaos with Reform UK'. Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves said: 'Reform's revolving door shows that the party is all about one person – Nigel Farage. 'Zia Yusuf's humiliating hokey-cokey is laughable but there is nothing funny about Farage's £80 billion in unfunded commitments. 'His reckless plan is Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget on steroids and would spark economic chaos that increases bills and mortgages. 'Working people simply can't afford the risk of economic chaos with Reform UK.'
The Guardian
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Thousands join Israeli flag march through Muslim quarter of Jerusalem
Israel's far-right national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, was among the crowd for an annual march through the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem. It is funded and promoted by the Jerusalem city government and celebrates Israel's capture and occupation of East Jerusalem and its holy sites in the war of 1967. The march has been marred by racism and attacks on Palestinians for years and on Monday groups were heard chanting 'Gaza is ours', 'death to the Arabs' and 'may their villages burn'. One banner, seen near the Damascus Gate of al-Aqsa mosque compound, read 'Jerusalem 1967, Gaza 2025'
The Guardian
26-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Swinney demands Meta remove ‘racist' Reform UK ad attacking Labour's Sarwar
The SNP leader John Swinney has demanded that the owner of Facebook act on Reform UK's 'racist' byelection advert that attacks the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar. The Facebook video, which incorrectly claims Sarwar has promised to prioritise Pakistani communities, is now subject to formal complaints from Scotland's two main political parties. Scottish Labour contacted Meta, Facebook's parent company, about the video two weeks ago and has yet to receive a reply. On Monday the Daily Record reported that the SNP chief executive, Carol Beattie, had also written to Meta, stating that the advert 'appears designed to provoke division, stir racial resentment and marginalise Pakistani residents in Scotland'. The byelection for the Holyrood seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, prompted by the death of the popular Nationalist MSP Christina McKelvie in March, is being fiercely contested, with Reform seemingly gaining ground from Labour and the SNP. The 5 June byelection will serve as a significant bellwether less than a year before the Scottish parliament elections due in May 2026. The advert reproduced a decontextualised clip of Sarwar speaking at an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of Pakistan's independence in 2022, when he said: 'Pakistanis need represented in every mainstream political party in Scotland and across the UK.' It appears alongside the text 'Anas Sarwar has said he will prioritise the Pakistani community'. He does not say this anywhere in the clips shown. Speaking on Monday, Swinney said: 'We've got to address racism wherever it happens, which is why the SNP has complained to Meta about an advert attacking the Labour party, and because issues about racism are above party politics. 'Anas Sarwar is a political rival of mine, but he shouldn't be subjected to that kind of racist attack and we want to make sure that we stand in solidarity against the tactics of Farage.' Swinney said he would push back on the advert if it was referenced on the doorstep, as did the SNP's candidate, Katy Loudon. Last month, Swinney held a cross-party summit in Glasgow, inviting faith groups and third-sector leaders to discuss protection of democratic values, misinformation and the rise of the far right in Scotland. On Monday he said: 'One of the themes of the discussions we had in Glasgow a few weeks ago was all about misinformation and distortion. It's debasing our politics. People can't make informed judgments because they're having disinformation peddled towards them.' Last Thursday a spokesperson for Sarwar said the advert was 'blatantly racist' and that it 'attempts to question the identity, loyalty and belonging of Anas Sarwar'. 'Anas was born in Scotland and has lived here all his life. He is a proud Scot who has worked in our NHS and campaigns to deliver for every Scot. Decent people across Scotland will reject Reform's divisive politics.' The Reform UK councillor Thomas Kerr said: 'John Swinney and Anas Sarwar are desperately trying to deflect attention away from the facts. This advert uses Mr Sarwar's own words – if he doesn't like them, he shouldn't use them. 'The SNP and Labour have both broken Scotland, it's no surprise they're now forming some sort of pathetic and panicky anti-Reform coalition. The more Reform grows the more desperate their lies and smears will get but we're ready for it. Unlike them we aren't fighting for our careers, we're fighting for our country.' Despite McKelvie's substantial majority when she held the seat, Swinney also acknowledged that the contest was 'tight' and 'still very difficult to call'.
News.com.au
07-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Essendon coach Brad Scott says his players didn't feel the need to take a comment from Port's Willie Rioli any further
Essendon coach Brad Scott says his club has 'zero issues' with Willie Rioli amid revelations the embattled Port Adelaide star allegedly made a threat against one of his players in round 3, declaring 'what happens on the field, stays on the field'. Scott conceded community expectations had changed as to what was allowable and made it clear he expected all players to stay away from the sort of racial and homophobic slurs that have drawn heavy penalties and heavy scorn in recent years. But he said in the 'combative' AFL arena, he fully expected players would become involved in heated exchanges and none of his players were moved to take anything said by Rioli any further. Scott's comments came with the AFL reportedly weighing up information about previous allegations against Rioli in games against Geelong in 2024 and Essendon in round 3 this season. They arose after he avoided penalty for sending a threatening post-game message to Western Bulldogs defender Bailey Dale. 'It's not an Essendon issue. Our players have zero concerns,' Scott said on Wednesday. 'There are community expectations around player behaviour on and off the field, but within those expectations, I have a pretty firm belief of what happens on the field should stay on the field, provided that it's within general community expectations. 'Our players feel that whatever was said or done on field against Port Adelaide should stay on the field. We're not interested in engaging further.' Scott conceded, however, that off-field indiscretions should be treated differently. 'Across the decades, expectations have quite rightly changed in line with broader community expectations,' he said. 'I think the AFL have been leaders in tackling issues like racism. We absolutely know that there is no space or place for racism on or off the field. 'But on field, it is a competitive environment, and what would be defined as a threat could be a pretty loose term. We play a combative, competitive sport and I would expect our players to be combative, expect them to do that within the realms of sportsmanship. There's certainly a place for what happens on the field stays on the field. 'But I'd stress again, provided it's within what we all know are community expectations of levels of behaviour. 'Our game was played, there were no reports made. Our players, and I've canvassed them, have absolutely no issue.' Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said he was concerned about 'double jeopardy' given Rioli wasn't initially penalised but conceded the AFL could have 'been stronger'. 'There are different layers of sanction that you can place … there is obviously a slap on the wrist, there is conduct unbecoming and a fine, and there is conduct unbecoming and a suspension,' Buckley said on SEN. 'Could the AFL have been stronger? I guarantee now they wish they were stronger now that more (allegations) have come (forward).'
