Our statement on the Sewell Report
08 April 2021
Following the publication of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities’ report on race and ethnic disparities in the UK, London Youth has joined the Runnymede Trust and other civil society organisations in expressing our serious concerns.
You can read our statement below.
We have serious concerns about the findings of the Sewell Report and we are adding our voice to those of the Runnymede Trust and other civil society organisations.
The findings on the absence of systemic or institutional racism in the United Kingdom run counter to what we know of our member youth organisations and the young people they work with. We do not believe this reflects the true nature of the racial disparities that many young Londoners face in their everyday lives.
While we support many individual recommendations focused on encouraging opportunities for young people, it is disappointing to see another report that largely discusses young people in the context of crime and fails to meaningfully engage in a positive vision.
We are committed to being an actively anti-racist organisation and standing against the inequalities and injustices that young people face in London. We believe the Sewell Report falls short of this mission.”
We will continue to engage with this issue in consultation with our membership and our youth board. We welcome any members to contact us to share their views.
You can read more about London Youth’s commitment to anti-racism here.