Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Aysha Khanom sues Leeds Beckett University claiming 'discrimination' in race theory row

Aysha Khanom sues Leeds Beckett University claiming 'discrimination' in race theory row

UK academic has sued the Leeds Beckett University claiming discrimination after she was dropped from her advisory role over tweets calling a mixed-race man a “house negro”, The Guardian reported.

Aysha Khanom has alleged that the decision was discriminatory because of her belief in critical race theory and Black radicalism, the report added.


The university ended its association with Khanom after accusing her of “racist language” in relation to tweets using the terms “house negro” and “coconut”.

According to the report, Khanom is arguing that critical race theory and Black radicalism are protected beliefs under the Equality Act. She is also crowdfunding the legal costs.

Critical race theory says race is a social construct used to oppress people of colour and which begets systemic racism.

The legal claim has been supported by many antiracist organisations and academics in an open letter.

The letter was written by Kehinde Andrews, a professor of Black studies at Birmingham City University, and accused the University of censoring “central concepts in Black intellectual thought”.

The letter also points out that Malcolm X popularised the use of house negro, which described Black people who defended the status quo, eager to fit in with and please white people.

The first tweet was sent in February after the conservative political commentator Calvin Robinson said on BBC One’s The Big Questions that he had been attacked for being Black and right-wing: “For example, I have been called Bounty, Uncle Tom, house negro for not having the right opinion.”

On 14 February the Race Trust, which was founded by Khanom, posted a tweet, tagging Robinson and asking: “Does it not shame you that most people see you as a house negro?”

Khanom said she did not post the tweet but later accepted responsibility for it.

After numerous critical responses, she personally used the term “coconut” when responding to someone about the earlier tweet.

The next day, the university tweeted saying she was not an employee but it had terminated its association with her and “condemns the use of racist language”.

Khanom told The Guardian: "The terms were meant to be offensive, because they’re antiracist terms. You’re highlighting a ­problem … It’s almost upholding white supremacy. It’s so contradictory it’s unreal – racists have taken these terms and defined them for us. There is no way they are racist. They are meant to make someone feel uncomfortable, but just because something’s offensive doesn’t mean you can’t say it.

“I still get trolled on Twitter all the time and they [the trolls] post Leeds Beckett’s tweet. It’s always going to be there, that’s my main worry, especially as the work that I do is antiracist.”

Khanom said the university’s actions had affected her professionally and personally, in terms of her mental health.

In June, finding that gender-critical views were a protected belief, the employment appeals tribunal said only views akin to nazism or totalitarianism were unworthy of protections for rights of freedom of expression and thought under the Equality Act.

Emilie Cole, a co-founding partner of Cole Khan solicitors, which is representing Khanom, said the case would establish whether Khanom’s beliefs were protected.

She added that Khanom’s case is of significant importance for everyone who stands for academic freedom, freedom of speech, and equality.

“We are unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings although we can confirm that we will be presenting a detailed response against this claim," a spokesperson for the university told The Guardian.

More For You

Mamata Banerjee calls for stronger Bengal-UK ties

Addressing the gathering, she spoke about Bengal’s economic and cultural ties with the UK and highlighted investment opportunities.

Mamata Banerjee calls for stronger Bengal-UK ties at London event

CHIEF MINISTER of India's West Bengal state Mamata Banerjee attended a high tea reception at India House in London, hosted by Indian high commissioner Vikram K Doraiswami.

The event brought together business leaders, government officials, and cultural figures to discuss investment, education, and trade opportunities between Bengal and the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Survey Reveals More Britons Reducing Everyday Spending

About 43 per cent of consumers said they were cutting back on everyday purchases, while more than a third reported increasing their savings as a precaution. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Survey shows more Britons cutting back on everyday expenses

CONSUMERS in the UK are reducing spending on everyday items as confidence in the economy declines ahead of chancellor Rachel Reeves’s spring statement, according to a KPMG survey.

The survey, conducted among 3,000 UK consumers, found that 58 per cent believed the economy was worsening in the three months to February, up 15 percentage points from the previous quarter, The Guardian reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Hamdan Ballal

Palestinian Oscar-winning director Hamdan Ballal, co-creator of No Other Land, was reportedly assaulted by Israeli settlers before being detained by military forces in the West Bank

Getty Images

Oscar-winning filmmaker Hamdan Ballal beaten and detained in West Bank

Hamdan Ballal, Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, was assaulted by Israeli settlers and later taken into military custody in the occupied West Bank, witnesses say.

The attack took place Monday evening in the village of Susya, where armed settlers targeted Palestinian residents and international activists. According to the Centre for Jewish Nonviolence, Ballal suffered head injuries during the assault. While receiving treatment in an ambulance, Israeli soldiers reportedly pulled him out and arrested him, along with another Palestinian. His current whereabouts remain unknown.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK houses

Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2027 and be completed by 2029, the government said.

image: Getty

Government to invest £2 billion in 18,000 affordable homes by 2029

THE UK government on Tuesday announced a £2 billion investment to build up to 18,000 social and affordable homes in England.

The initiative is part of its broader target to deliver 1.5 million homes by the end of the current parliament and support economic growth.

Keep ReadingShow less
Cambridge Librarian Claims Race Bias After India Leave Denial

In 2021, Trinity College offered her a permanent desk supervisor contract, which included the option to take a three-month break during the summer.

trinity-college

Cambridge librarian alleges race bias after India leave was denied

A UNIVERSITY of Cambridge librarian’s race discrimination claim was dismissed after a tribunal found the university had acted “flexibly” in handling her leave requests.

Havovi Anklesaria, who has worked at Trinity College for 30 years, requested three months off at the beginning of the year instead of the summer.

Keep ReadingShow less