Unveiling the Unsung Success Stories of Ethnic Minorities in the UK
"The Black Lives Matter Movement Exhibited Unreasonable Behavior"
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11th June 2025 Picture by: Getty.
Identity Politics UK USA
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Remember 2020, when the Black Lives Matter movement swept across the globe, igniting protests in London and the UK? Activists accused the nation of being a systemically racist hotbed, but Tony Sewell, now Lord Sewell, painted a different picture after his government-led investigation. In this insightful chat with Fraser Myers of our website, Sewell revealed the untold successes of minorities in the UK and the misconceptions that fuel them.
Fraser Myers: Five years ago, it seemed like we'd lost our heads. Looking back, do you think we overreacted?
Tony Sewell: Well, we were infected by a global phenomenon. The BLM movement was like a virus that blinded people to the truth. In 2020, people were blending American tragedies with their own everyday lives, and that led to an emotional, irrational response.
Myers: You were tasked to investigate racial and ethnic disparities in the UK. Despite the widespread belief that racism was the chief culprit, your findings pointed to more complex factors.
Sewell: You're right. Let's take education, for instance. The underperformance of African Caribbean students was often blamed on racism. But when we delved deeper, we found that Indian Hindu pupils and Nigerian students were outperforming their African Caribbean peers. And you know what's interesting? Those Nigerian students were in the same classrooms as the African Caribbean students. This discovery pushed us to investigate other factors such as family structures, and that's when we began to uncover the multiple causes behind these disparities.
Myers: Your report highlighted numerous achievements of ethnic minorities in the UK, but those stories are rarely discussed.
Sewell: Absolutely. For certain African migrant groups and some Asian communities, there were success stories in education and employment. Plus, the trajectory of race relations has shown significant improvement. Yet everywhere you go, people still believe we're living in the 1950s or 1960s, oblivious to the evidence that proves otherwise. Sure, there are issues with segregation and the like, but the overall picture shows that people are interacting and coexisting despite their differences. Incredibly, education outcomes for ethnic minorities have been among the strongest in some areas.
Myers: Speaking of solutions to these disparities, many propose that we should 'decolonize the curriculum' or increase 'representation' of certain groups. What's your take on that?
Sewell: In the early 90s, I worked in Hackney, one of the worst school districts in Europe. We tried everything - more black teachers, more black literature in the curriculum, and so on. But none of it worked. Only when we started emphasizing leadership and high expectations did things improve.
Ultimately, we're talking about human agency - the idea that communities can take control of their destinies and have the potential to advance on their own. But discussing this element was frowned upon in the past. Being straightforward about the capabilities of poor black people to leverage their efforts for advancement was condemned as non- PC. The left's narrative perpetuated the notion that they're incapable.
Myers: Southport erupted in riots last year. Does that signify that race relations have deteriorated, or was it a single, isolated event?
Sewell: The Southport riots were specific. It's crucial to condemn arsonists who targeted vulnerable individuals. However, there were people with legitimate grievances, and it's important to listen to them—especially those who've been left behind, like predominantly white communities in the south and north. They've been largely ignored by the government. In our 2020 report, we focused on their struggles in areas like housing, education, and employment.
Myers: Has the US's recent 'vibe shift'—a change in racial politics—reached the UK?
Sewell: Politicians will follow public sentiment. They've tried to take advantage of conversations around grooming gangs and other issues when it suits them.
To be honest, I'm not entirely optimistic about the future. Identity politics simply doesn't work. My belief is that you must engage everyone, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation. I feel it's crucial to address the issues of the whole nation, rather than focusing solely on race. To put it bluntly, the report didn't focus on race—it was about leveling up entire communities. But I think politicians have been too afraid to embrace its message, afraid of being labeled as racists.
- The BLM movement of 2020 sparked protests in London, but Lord Sewell's investigation revealed success stories of ethnic minorities in the UK that are often left untold.
- In discussing solutions to ethnic disparities, such as decolonizing the curriculum or increasing representation, Lord Sewell emphasized the importance of community agency and advancement, a concept often criticized in the past.
- Lord Sewell remains cautious about the future, expressing concern that identity politics, popular in the United States, may hinder efforts to address issues affecting the entire nation rather than focusing solely on race.
