Boris Johnson’s senior black adviser resigns amid Downing Boulevard tensions

High Minister Boris Johnson’s maximum senior black adviser has hand over, Downing Boulevard stated Thursday, an afternoon after a government-commissioned document provoked outrage by means of announcing that structural racism does now not exist in Britain.

Samuel Kasumu were talked out of resigning by means of ministers in February, after he complained of “insufferable” pressure inside Downing Boulevard and stated Johnson’s Conservative Party used to be pursuing “a politics steeped in department”, the BBC reported on the time.

Kasumu, who served as particular adviser for civil society and communities, submitted his resignation final week and knowledgeable colleagues on Wednesday morning, in line with Politico, simply because the debatable document by means of the Fee on Race and Ethnic Disparities (CRED) used to be launched.

A central authority spokesperson showed Kasumu would step down in Might, however stated it used to be already deliberate and insisted: “Any recommendation that this determination has been made this week or that that is connected to the CRED document is totally misguided.”

Johnson — whose authorities is stepping up an offensive on so-called woke activism forward of Might elections — informed journalists that Kasumu had “finished some nice stuff” on encouraging extra folks from ethnic minorities to absorb vaccinations in opposition to Covid-19.

The pandemic’s disproportionate affect on ethnic minorities used to be a number of the spaces downplayed within the new authorities document, which stated that whilst prejudice persists in Britain, the rustic isn’t “institutionally racist”.

The top minister stated the document contained “some authentic and stimulating paintings” and that it will lend a hand tell coverage about “the real nature of the limitations and the discrimination that they (minorities) undoubtedly really feel”.

“There are very severe problems that our society faces to do with racism that we want to deal with,” he added.

Glorifying slavery?

The fee used to be created by means of Johnson following final yr’s Black Lives Topic protests, which integrated the toppling of an English slave dealer’s statue within the western town of Bristol.

Its contributors, led by means of a black chair who had in the past sided with the federal government in opposition to anti-racism campaigners, concluded a lot of Britain’s younger BLM demonstrators had been erroneous.

The rustic may well be seemed “as a style for different white-majority international locations”, the 264-page document stated.

It made 24 suggestions, particularly on development agree with between police and minority teams, on extending the college day in disadvantaged spaces, and on tackling racist abuse on social media platforms.

“There’s a new tale in regards to the Caribbean enjoy which speaks to the slave length now not most effective being about benefit and struggling however how culturally, African folks remodeled themselves right into a re-modelled African/Britain,” it added.

The document used to be met with incredulity by means of many campaigners for racial equality and opposition lawmakers, who famous extensive disparities within the enjoy of British minorities in policing, well being, schooling and employment.

The statement about slavery drew explicit scorn.

“The one excellent narrative in regards to the enslavement of Africans is that we survived,” Simon Woolley, the previous head of Downing Boulevard’s race disparity unit, informed The Instances newspaper.

Marsha de Cordova, equalities spokeswoman for the opposition Labour party, stated Kasumu’s go out spoke volumes regardless of the federal government’s denials that it used to be connected to the document.

“Their divisive document seems to glorify slavery and means that institutional racism does now not exist regardless of the proof on the contrary,” she stated.

“It’s no marvel they’re dropping the experience from their crew.”

Fee chair Tony Sewell stated the recommendation that his document had attempted to downplay the evils of slavery used to be “ridiculous and offensive”.