Black Current News 'In Focus': Marcus Fakana, Met Police passa - and RIP Yvonne Brewster
‘In Focus’ is your weekly digest of stories affecting Black Britain and beyond from an award-winning news team
Wha’ gwahn everyone!
This first edition of your weekly ‘In Focus’ newsletter lands in a moment of loss, accountability and movement. From the passing of Black British giants to institutions still grappling with racism and reform, Black Current News exists to make sure our stories are not erased, downplayed or forgotten.
Every week, In Focus will bring you:
The biggest headlines affecting Black and marginalised communities, which mainstream media often underreport or miss
Good news, highlights and achievements worth celebrating
Thank you for being a part of this beginning!
- Nadine White, Editor-in-Chief of Black Current News
Marcus Fakana fundraiser
The family of Marcus Fakana - who died three months after being released from a Dubai jail - have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral costs.
Tory MP calls for deportation of legally settled Black and Asian families
Katie Lam, tipped as a potential future Tory Party leader, said Britain should expel “large numbers” of legally settled migrants to make the UK more “culturally coherent”.
BBC Chief: ‘Staff banned from wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts in our newsroom’
BBC Director-General Tim Davie has said that Black Lives Matter campaigning - and t-shirts - is not appropriate in the corporation’s newsroom. “You leave it at the door and your religion is journalism at the BBC,” Mr Davie told the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Sunday.
Revealed: ‘Damning’ review of anti-Black racism within Met Police ‘buried’ by force
A review of anti-Black racism within the Metropolitan Police has been “buried” by the force, despite finding discrimination “baked into its HR systems”, I reported exclusively for The Guardian last week. Black Current News published an analysis of this report and assessed the discrimination that plagues UK policing here.
Trouble for Kemi Badenoch as 50% of Tory members say she’s not the one
Half of Conservative Party members believe Kemi Badenoch should not lead the party into the next general election, according to a new YouGov poll.
Exclusive: Lambeth’s deputy leader “laughed” along to “racist” jokes about Black colleagues
Lambeth Deputy Leader Cllr Daniel Adilypour, laughed along to “racist” jokes about Black and Asian colleagues, Black Current News reported recently. Read here.
Good News
Jamaican acting legend Oliver Samuels joined High Commissioner Alexander Williams (above) in Brixton to champion blood donation and save lives in the fight against sickle cell
Trailblazing Black lawyer becomes University of Hertfordshire’s new Chancellor
Kente cloth granted protected status by Ghanaian government
PM Keir Starmer orders “urgent review” into racism and discrimination across NHS
Broadcaster Marverine Cole wins ‘Female Brummie of the Year’ at annual Birmingham Awards
Event: Barrel Children Screening & Panel at Medway Culture Club
Medway Culture Club will host a special screening of Barrel Children: The Families Windrush Left Behind at the Glassbox Theatre, MidKent College on Saturday 25 October (2 - 4 pm). Buy tickets here. My latest Barrel Children newsletter went out on Tuesday - including news of our upcoming festival selection in NYC.
What else I’m reading
‘Cancelled’ at Oxford: Black Union president-elect booted after post about dead white supremacist Charlie Kirk
Dublin police condemn ‘thuggery’ after protest outside hotel housing asylum seekers turns violent
Police officers get slap on wrist for wrongly arresting and traumatising Black woman in front of her child
‘The jobless should lead the attack’: a radical Jamaican journalist in 1920s London
The Government has proposed tightening rules for Indefinite Leave to Remain, increasing qualifying period to ten years and introducing tougher English language requirements
In memory
‘Yvonne Brewster: the visionary who built stages for us all’
Tributes paid to ‘trailblazer’ Baroness Ros Howells
Thank you for sharing! The good news section is much-needed and appreciated.
Also, the name of this Substack is 10/10.
What a rollercoaster of a news week. Sad about the death of trailblazer Yvonne Brewster. May she rest in eternal peace. Will be sharing the fundraiser for Marcus. And thanks for mentioning my Female Brummie of the Year win. Very kind of you!