Jamelia says the UK’s ‘covert racism’ problem is ‘damaging and insidious’

Jamelia has criticised the UK’s issues with “covert racism” in an impassioned speech on BBC News.

Appearing on the news programme to discuss the Black Lives Matter protests in the UK, the singer, 39, said that racism is “literally woven into the fabric of society” and that white people must “actively be a part of dismantling the systems that surround you” in order to be anti-racist.

“As a black person who lives in the UK, I can tell you that we have a serious racism problem that goes far beyond the overt,” she told the BBC.

“It’s the covert racism that is so damaging and it’s insidious because it’s literally woven into the fabric of society and the ignorance and indifference of white people allows a level of complicity.”

(BBC)

"You contribute by not being aware and it actually serves the racial bias.”

She went on to note that biases in “the education system,” “the judicial system,” “home ownership, opening a small business” can “affect black people on a daily basis.”

She added: “Now that you’re aware of that, it’s not enough just to say ‘I’m not racist,’ because you’re not a purveyor of overt racism.

“If you benefit from the system knowing that people are being oppressed and affected by it, you are racist.

“To be anti-racist you have to be actively part of dismantling the systems that surround you and the systems that you benefit from."

Her comments came shortly after prime minister Boris Johnson released a statement saying that he does not see the UK as “a racist country.”

“The prime minister doesn’t doubt that there continues to be discrimination and racism, but he would not agree that this is a racist country,” a spokesperson for the prime minister said.

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