We didn’t ask for this.

Even in the face of many opposing views to the main findings there is a cognitive dissonance from the commission that is an insult to the very real pain and suffering experienced by black people up and down the UK; and it is offensive to the growing number of people – black and white – who are seeking to address the systemic inequalities that persist in our society.

The failure to acknowledge the lived experience of those most affected by institutional and structural racism undermines the credibility of the entire report. True governance and leadership require the humility to listen to those who have been marginalized, rather than dismissing their experiences through the lens of political expediency.