London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Britain ‘not a racist country,’ Johnson believes, as BLM protests grip UK cities

Britain ‘not a racist country,’ Johnson believes, as BLM protests grip UK cities

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson “would not agree” with Black Lives Matter protesters, who have taken to city streets around the country in recent days, that Britain is a “racist” place, his spokesperson has said.
The PM “doesn't doubt that there continues to be discrimination and racism” in the UK, but he “would not agree that this is a racist country,” the spokesman said on Monday.

He added that Johnson felt “very significant progress” has been made on the issue, but said the PM knew there was “more to do” and is “absolutely committed to continuing efforts to stamp out racism and discrimination,” he said.

The comments from Downing Street come as Black Lives Matter protests, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in the US, spread rapidly overseas.

Protests in London turned violent at the weekend, with police and demonstrators brawling outside the Foreign Office in Whitehall, prompting Johnson to say the peaceful movement had been “subverted by thuggery.” Meanwhile, crowds in Bristol toppled a statue of slave trader Edward Colston, rolled it to a nearby river and tossed it in.

Speaking in the House of Commons last week on the controversy over Floyd’s death, Johnson said “of course black lives matter” and that he “totally understands” the anger many people are feeling “not just in America but around the world, and in our country as well.”

Johnson himself has, however, been personally accused of harboring racist views throughout his career, with many recalling past comments referring to black people as “piccaninnies” with “watermelon smiles,” and to Burka-wearing Muslim women as “letterboxes.” The PM has since claimed many of his past statements were “satirical.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×