Civil servants taught that Britain is ‘racist’

Training video tells white staff to become ‘allies’ and avoid contradicting their ethnic minority colleagues

Civil servants are being taught that Britain is a “racist” country and that white officials should never contradict people from ethnic minorities, The Daily Telegraph can disclose. A training video for civil servants at the department for levelling up, housing and communities – which is in charge of race relations – said white civil servants should be aware of their “privilege”. It urged white people to become “allies” of ethnic minorities by standing up for them.

CIVIL servants are being taught that Britain is a “racist” country and that white officials should never contradict people from ethnic minorities, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

A training video for civil servants at the department for levelling up, housing and communities – which is in charge of race relations – said white civil servants should be aware of their “privilege”.

It urged white people to become “allies” of ethnic minorities by standing up for them, telling officials: “When we become an ally, this primarily means acknowledging that we, ourselves, are part of a society, norm, culture or a system that is racist.”

It said white allies should be a “supporter”, meaning they “listen and do not contradict” ethnic minority people.

The video has caused consternation in Whitehall, with one government source saying: “The civil service is running a parallel policy to the Government on diversity and inclusion in the name of social justice.

“The term white privilege has no place in government. This divisive nonsense is designed to brainwash thousands of civil servants with an ideological agenda.”

The video was uploaded on to the department’s website in 2019, when it was known as the ministry of housing, communities and local government.

It said: “For many of us who are white or white passing, meaning that we are often identified as white in public spaces, the colour of our skin, our race or ethnicity, has not had a negative impact on our lives. We call this ‘white privilege’.

“You may experience many other struggles and challenges through life, but they are very unlikely to be related to your race.

“Because of this, adding your voice to anti-racism can help to amplify your message, support your colleagues, and give them time to heal and recover from a fight they’ve been having for their entire lives, often for generations.”

It went on: “You are an ally if you believe that people who are from an ethnic minority face discrimination and can be socially and economically disadvantaged at work... White allies can provide a louder and sometimes more impactful voice than those in other communities.

“They are more likely to be believed when discussing these issues, enabling them to effectively increase awareness of racism amongst colleagues who might not ordinarily engage.”

The training urged allies to act as “cheerleaders” by “shifting the spotlight onto a person of colour”. And it said white allies should “listen and do not contradict” ethnic minority people. “The experiences of ethnic minority colleagues are theirs and

‘Becoming an ally means acknowledging we are part of a society, norm, culture or system that is racist’

important,” it said, adding: “Remember, to be an ally is to take on the struggle as your own, to stand up, even when it feels uncomfortable to do so. To use your privilege to advance those who lack it, and to acknowledge that, whilst you also feel their struggle, the conversation is not about you.”

The department for levelling up, housing and communities is headed up by permanent secretary Jeremy Pocklington. Educated at Manchester grammar school and Oxford University, he joined the civil service in 1997 and was appointed permanent secretary of the ministry of housing, communities and local government in March 2020.

A department for levelling up, housing and communities spokesman said: “This video is nearly three years old and helps staff have important conversations about race. We keep all our material under review.”