• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
  • Contact us
  • Guest Content
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
    • Elevenses
  • Business
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Property
  • JOBS
  • All
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Sport
    • Tech/Auto
    • Lifestyle
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Set For Life
      • Thunderball
      • EuroMillions
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home Politics

Tory MPs are furious with Barnardo’s for talking about white privilege

A dozen Tories accused the charity of promoting "destructive 'woke' radicalism".

Henry Goodwin by Henry Goodwin
2020-12-07 15:35
in Politics
Conservative MP John Hayes arrives in Downing Street, London.

Conservative MP John Hayes arrives in Downing Street, London.

FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

A group of Tory MPs have attacked children’s charity Barnardo’s after it published guidance for parents about what white privilege is and how they can help their kids to understand it.

The charity has insisted it will not stop confronting “difficult or uncomfortable” issues after a dozen Conservative parliamentarians took issue with the anti-racism post – and demanded an investigation by the Charities Commission.

Members of the so-called ‘Common Sense Group’ wrote to Barnardo’s chief executive, Javed Khan, on Friday – accusing the charity of letting “political dogma” replace “compassion and generosity”.

It was signed by the group’s founder, Sir John Hayes, as well as Tory backbenchers Sally-Ann Hart, Gareth Bacon and Bob Blackman. 

Fellow Tory MPs Tom Hunt, Pauline Latham, Sir Edward Leigh, Marco Longhi, Craig Mackinlay, James Sunderland and Henry Smith also signed it.

‘Destructive ‘woke’ radicalism’

Their letter said it was “as spiteful as it is silly” to suggest that “privilege or prejudice are the exclusive preserve of a particular ethnic group”.

“Unlike the countless materialistic cooperations who consider the promotion of destructive ‘woke’ radicalism in their own financial interests, Barnardo’s are missioned to elevate those struggling with poverty and deprivation,” the MPs wrote, adding that the blog about white privilege is a “bitter blow” to working class families.

And, in an article for The Telegraph, former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey accused the charity of “diverting its attention to political activism”.

“This is such a misguided and misjudged move away from what the charity is about and what it ought to be doing,” she wrote.

RelatedPosts

Reform back down to four MPs – as James McMurdock SUSPENDED from party

Donald Trump announces he plans to host UFC fight at the White House

Jeremy Corbyn breaks silence on new political party with Zarah Sultana

Reform faced first ever council seat defences – they lost both of them

But Barnardo’s – the UK’s largest children’s charity – has refused to be cowed by the intervention, claiming it has a responsibility “to raise awareness of all issues affecting children – no matter how difficult or uncomfortable.”

“For the one in five Barnardo’s service users who are Black, Asian or minority ethnic, the colour of their skin is an additional factor that negatively affects them and their families in a multitude of well documented ways,” the charity said.

“Those who nurture the next generation of children should therefore be supported in understanding racial inequality in all its complexity, so that they in turn can find appropriate ways of discussing this with children – much in the same way other big parenting conversations happen already.”

‘A shining example’

The charity added: “We certainly don’t believe Britain is racist or that anyone should feel guilt about being from a particular background.

“We do know that in our country in 2020 being non-white creates particular and additional needs – indeed the blog itself was written based on what children in our services told us they wanted to convey. To be ‘colour blind’ would be to fundamentally fail in our duty to address the needs of these children. 

“It is in that spirit we keep on raising awareness of the issues that affect this group – and we hope you will join us in doing so.”

Many Labour MPs voiced their support for Barnardo’s, including shadow justice secretary David Lammy, who tweeted: “Thank you @barnardos. As the father of an adopted child your commitment to standing up for children from all backgrounds means the world.” 

Lammy’s Labour colleague Naz Shah added that the charity was “a shining example of how things should be done”.

Related: After Millwall, dismissing BLM for its ‘politics’ is risible intellectual laziness

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

SUPPORT

We do not charge or put articles behind a paywall. If you can, please show your appreciation for our free content by donating whatever you think is fair to help keep TLE growing and support real, independent, investigative journalism.

DONATE & SUPPORT

Contact

Editorial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Commercial enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Address

The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE
Company number 09221879
International House,
24 Holborn Viaduct,
London EC1A 2BN,
United Kingdom

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

← Joe Biden is already more popular than Trump has ever been, poll reveals ← Brexiteer Bridgen mocked for claiming No Deal tariffs could bag UK billions
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Lottery Results
    • Lotto
    • Set For Life
    • Thunderball
    • EuroMillions
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • JOBS
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© The London Economic Newspaper Limited t/a TLE thelondoneconomic.com - All Rights Reserved. Privacy

-->