Lord Sewell, the Government's former race tsar, has launched a scathing critique of what he terms 'woke ideology' and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which he claims distorted professional judgment in a tragic case involving a paranoid schizophrenic killer. The peer, who chaired the landmark Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities in 2021, asserted that these ideological drives have warped decision-making processes among some mental health professionals.
Nottingham Killings Inquiry Context
Lord Sewell's comments emerge as an ongoing inquiry examines the circumstances surrounding Valdo Calocane, who fatally stabbed three individuals in Nottingham during 2023. The victims included two university students, Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, both aged nineteen, along with school caretaker Ian Coates, sixty-five. Last month, it was revealed that mental health workers had opted against sectioning Calocane following a violent incident in 2020, despite his history of detention on four prior occasions.
Fear of Racism Influenced Decision
Investigations indicate that professionals consulted research highlighting an 'over-representation of young black males in detention,' leading to concerns that sectioning Calocane might be perceived as racist. This hesitation occurred even though Calocane eventually committed his horrific crimes. Lord Sewell referenced this case during an event at the Centre for Social Justice, marking the fifth anniversary of his comprehensive race report, which originally investigated whether Britain could be considered institutionally racist.
Lord Sewell's Analysis of Disparities
During his speech, Lord Sewell emphasised the need to address root causes rather than relying on DEI frameworks. He explained, 'We were saying you have to go upstream to find out why the disparity was there. [People] weren't really understanding that when it comes to that mental health issue, what were the reasons for the disparity.' He argued that disparities in incarceration rates might stem from clinical factors, such as late presentation due to historic distrust of the system among black communities, rather than systemic bias alone.
Critique of 'White Guilt' Culture
The Tory peer also condemned a pervasive culture of 'white guilt,' which he believes has made individuals and organisations too fearful to articulate obvious truths. He lamented that this atmosphere hindered the adoption of his report's recommendations, stating, 'We never really got out of the door with it, mainly because people were so frightened. We talk about this white guilt, this giddiness, about just stating these things that were obvious.' He noted that the report's findings, which highlighted successes among ethnic minorities and challenges for white working-class pupils, were unexpected following the George Floyd protests.
Race Report Findings and Legacy
Lord Sewell's commission, established by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson after the Black Lives Matter demonstrations, concluded that Britain is not institutionally racist. The report sparked controversy by revealing that children from many ethnic minorities outperform white pupils academically, with white working-class boys often lagging behind. Recent data from the Centre for Social Justice underscores this, showing only one-third of white pupils on free school meals achieve minimum GCSE passes in English and Maths, compared to over eighty percent of Chinese pupils and nearly seventy percent of Indian and Bangladeshi pupils in similar circumstances.
Personal Reflections on Racial Progress
When questioned about whether Britain remains a racist country, Lord Sewell acknowledged significant improvements over his lifetime. He contrasted his own experiences of racism during school with those of his thirty-year-old daughter, describing the change as 'night and day.' He cited Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, a black woman of Nigerian heritage, as a testament to societal shifts, remarking, 'Even four or five years ago, to think that the head of the Conservative party would be a black woman from a Nigerian background, people would laugh you out the room. That's where we are in Britain.'
Lord Sewell reiterated his concern that warnings about the stagnation of white working-class boys have been ignored, emphasising the need for evidence-based approaches over ideological drives in policymaking and professional practice.
