June 16, 2020
The tempestuous war of words between Labour and Boris Johnson is nothing new, but it this week escalated rather dramatically when the PM was accused by the opposition of “trying to wage a culture war”.
Why The Appointment Of Munira Mirza As Head Of Racial Inequality Review Is So Controversial
The prompt for this incendiary charge was the appointment of Munira Mirza to head his newly-announced commission on racial inequalities. It’s a move David Lammy says undermines the body before it’s even begun.Who is Munira Mirza?Mirza is currently an adviser to the prime minister as the head of the No.10 policy unit, and also served as one of Johnson’s deputy mayors while he ran London.
She has reportedly been instrumental in the establishment of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities – announced by Boris Johnson earlier this week in the wake of a series of anti-racism protests in Britain, triggered by the killing of George Floyd.
So far, so uncontroversial.
But her past writings as well as her past political and professional affiliations have surfaced in the wake of her latest appointment.The Revolutionary Communist Party Mirza used to be a member of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP), a group which swung drastically from the Trotsky-inspired left to the libertarian right in the 1990s and collapsed altogether in 1997.
A number of former members – Mirza included – went on to become influential in Tory Eurosceptic circles and continued to share ideas with each other.
The RCP’s ideals and views were expressed through its journal, Living Marxism, which questioned accounts of the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia and pushed an anti-environmental narrative that bordered on climate change denial.
After losing a libel battle with ITV it was forced to close, but was quickly resurrected as the online magazine Spiked.SpikedFor those unfamiliar with Spiked, it is funded in part by the Koch brothers, two billionaire US industrialists.
Koch Industries is the largest privately-owned energy company in the US and has been described by environmental campaigners as a “financial kingpin of climate science denial”.
It has published articles with titles such as “The myth of a climate crisis”, “The dark side of environmentalism” and “Extinction Rebellion: anti-human to the core”.
Spiked has also published articles attacking:the welfare stateGeorge Sorosthe #MeToo movementBlack Lives MatterIt has defended:Katie HopkinsAlex JonesViktor OrbanMirza on SpikedMirza has written a number of articles for Spiked (none of the ones previously referenced), and it is some of these that have been highlighted this week by her critics and led to accusations of her denying that institutional racism exists.
After David Lammy led a review of the treatment of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) groups in the justice system for the Tory government under David Cameron and Theresa May, Mirza wrote a piece in 2017 criticising it titled “Lammy review: the myth of institutional racism”.
In it, she wrote: “Certainly there is a historic legacy here from previous decades, but it is equally possible that the current accusations of institutional racism by lobbyists and activists – a perception more than a reality – is behind the further corrosion of public trust.”
On Tuesday, Lammy wrote on Twitter: “My review was welcomed by all parties: Corbyn, Cameron and May.
“But Munira Mirza went out of her way to attack it.”This further undermines @BorisJohnson’s race commission. My review was welcomed by all parties: Corbyn, Cameron and May. But Munira Mirza went out of her way to attack it. Johnson isn’t listening to #BlackLivesMatter. He’s trying to wage a culture war.https://t.co/bNrpHgrN6v— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) June 15, 2020In a Sun article also written in 2017, she said: “By appeasing the anti-racism lobby and affirming its culture of grievance, public institutions and business leaders are not making Britain a fairer place but harming the very people they aspire to help.”
Mirza also wrote articles for Spiked including “Stop pandering to Muslims” and “Diversity is divisive”, in which she argued that “racism is clearly in decline”.
And on the Windrush scandal, she wrote in a blog post that “the real lesson is not one of racism, as in the deliberate targeting of ethnic minority groups, rather it is that the process of immigration enforcement needs to be improved”.Defending BorisMirza has been one of Johnson’s loudest supporters during his most controversial moments, notably when he compared Muslim Women in burkas to “bank robbers” and “letterboxes”.
In an article for Conservative Home, she said Johnson’s comments were part of a “reasonable, balanced and a thoughtful defence of Muslim women’s right to choose how they live”.Defending MirzaMirza too has her defenders. Former chancellor Sajid Javid described her as “smart, compassionate and deeply committed to social justice”.
“One of the sharpest minds inside No 10,” he said. “No wonder the Left don’t like her.”Defending the commissionJohnson has defended his commission, following criticism that action rather than another review was needed.
The PM, who also faced a backlash for saying he wanted to stop the “sense of” victimisation and discrimination, later acknowledged that racism “unquestionably” existed in the UK.
He told reporters in Downing Street: “The whole point of having a review is to look at the areas where people feel there’s more that needs to be done.
“I think what we want to do is learn now very fast what fresh changes we need to make. What I feel most strongly is that there are so many positive stories that are not being heard.
“Things really are changing. You’re seeing young Black kids now doing better in some of the most difficult subjects in school than they were ever before, more going to top universities.
“We need to start telling that story and building up a culture of high expectations, a narrative about success, as well as stamping out the racism and the discrimination that unquestionably exists.”
 Downing Street said the review would also examine poor educational outcomes for white working-class boys.
The new commission will report directly to Johnson and also be overseen by equalities minister Kemi Badenoch.
HuffPost UK has contacted Downing Street for comment from Mirza.
On Tuesday, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said the commission will be chaired by an “independent figure” who will be announced “in due course”.
“Munira is the prime minister’s head of policy, so you would expect her to be involved in setting this up,” the spokesperson said.Related... Ant Middleton Addresses Deleted Tweet Referring To Black Lives Matter protesters As ‘Scum’ 8 Ways You Can Help Boost A Black Colleague's Career
Related Stories
Latest News
Top news around the world
Academy Awards

‘Oppenheimer’ Reigns at Oscars With Seven Wins, Including Best Picture and Director

Get the latest news about the 2024 Oscars, including nominations, winners, predictions and red carpet fashion at 96th Academy Awards

Around the World

Celebrity News

> Latest News in Media

Watch It
Millie Bobby Brown & Jake Bongiovi Celebrate “Three Years of Bliss” Ahead of Wedding
March 24, 2024
C4Ehegcq1-A
Kate Middleton & Prince William "Enormously Touched" by Public Support
March 24, 2024
s8fig-RCjFc
Gisele Bündchen Denies Cheating on Ex-Husband Tom Brady
March 23, 2024
_SpRMagA8BM
Eminem, 50 Cent & Snoop Dogg Present Dr. Dre with a Star on the Walk of Fame
March 19, 2024
4bNLs1hxVp8
Opening Remarks for the Variety Summit October 20th, 2023 Jay Penske
March 18, 2024
c6Z707iLq8E
'Everybody Was S----ing Their Pants': Nick Thune Jokes About Being Born in the '70s and Fatherhood
March 16, 2024
mm7Baf6o2d8
Gunna Says Tour Will Up Creativity in Rap, Endorses Flo Milli | TMZ
March 22, 2024
QfMU24fw-Qo
Reporter Taylor Lorenz Says Palace Botched Kate Cancer News Rollout | TMZ Live
March 22, 2024
o43ZucdiyEo
Riley Strain's Body Found After Going Missing in Nashville 2 Weeks Ago | TMZ NOW
March 22, 2024
1m1zM-4_Cs8
Kyle Richards hasn’t spoken to co-star Dorit Kemsley, denies sending her a ‘manipulative’ text
March 24, 2024
LqLZzDP1hm4
Jordan Emanuel on her connection to 'RHOSLC' star Meredith Marks, advice from Amanda Batula
March 24, 2024
5NPAwlOov1Y
Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary apologizes after slamming ‘fickle’ Meghan Markle in scathing interview
March 24, 2024
JWG9kitALZk
TV Schedule
Late Night Show
Watch the latest shows of U.S. top comedians

Sports

Latest sport results, news, videos, interviews and comments
Latest Events
20
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
SK Brann W - Barcelona W
20
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Hacken W - PSG W
19
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
SL Benfica W - Lyon W
19
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Playoffs - Women
Ajax W - Chelsea W
17
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Atletico Madrid - Barcelona
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester United - Liverpool
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Inter Milan - Napoli
17
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Brighton - Manchester City
17
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Borussia Dortmund - Eintracht Frankfurt
17
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Chelsea - Leicester City
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Roma - Sassuolo
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Verona - AC Milan
17
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Genoa
16
Mar
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Darmstadt - Bayern Munich
16
Mar
ENGLAND: FA Cup
Manchester City - Newcastle United
16
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Fulham - Tottenham Hotspur
16
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Osasuna - Real Madrid
13
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Atletico Madrid - Inter Milan
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Barcelona - Napoli
12
Mar
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: 1/8 Final
Arsenal - Porto
11
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Chelsea - Newcastle United
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Liverpool - Manchester City
10
Mar
SPAIN: La Liga
Real Madrid - Celta Vigo
10
Mar
ENGLAND: Premier League
Aston Villa - Tottenham Hotspur
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Juventus - Atalanta
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
Fiorentina - Roma
10
Mar
ITALY: Serie A
AC Milan - Empoli
Find us on Instagram
at @feedimo to stay up to date with the latest.
Featured Video You Might Like
zWJ3MxW_HWA L1eLanNeZKg i1XRgbyUtOo -g9Qziqbif8 0vmRhiLHE2U JFCZUoa6MYE UfN5PCF5EUo 2PV55f3-UAg W3y9zuI_F64 -7qCxIccihU pQ9gcOoH9R8 g5MRDEXRk4k
Copyright © 2020 Feedimo. All Rights Reserved.