Reform UK-led Sunderland council ends long-running charity support

A Sunderland council led by Reform UK has ended its support for the anti-racism charity Show Racism the Red Card, The Guardian reports. The decision will also mean that anti-racism education in some schools is scrapped. The charity had received support from the council for 30 years, according to the report.

Gary Bennett, a former Sunderland AFC captain and the charity’s head coach, said he was shocked and disappointed by the withdrawal of what he described as vital funding. His comments were reported in response to the council’s decision. The council leader said the authority would not support groups considered politically charged.

The supplied report does not identify the leader by name or provide the council’s detailed explanation of how the charity fits that description. The decision follows Reform UK’s control of the council. The available material does not state the value of the funding, when the change takes effect or which schools will lose access to the education programme.

The report presents the move as a change to a long-standing local authority relationship with the charity, but does not include a response from the schools affected or further details of the council’s future anti-racism policy.