2024 Wrapped Part 2
The stories that you probably did hear about.
Hi all,
A lot happened in 2024 but as you know, my newsletter aims to capture the stories that didn’t get the coverage they deserved. But nevertheless, I will also summarise the big stories from Black, Asian and Arab communities this year, as well as some that didn’t make the list but were still as important. Starting off with three politicians making some historical achievements.
Sadiq Khan won a landmark third term as mayor of London, Labour MP Diane Abbott became Mother of the House and Kemi Badenoch became the first Black Conservative Party leader.
Political stories that dominated the news centred around Conservative Party donor Frank Hester as well Nigel Farage and the rise of the Reform Party. The Labour Party also faced criticism over its handling of ethnic minority members while the Conservative party continued its chaotic decline while ramping up of anti-immigrant rhetoric. We then faced the racist riots which saw ethnic minorities and asylum seekers targeted and forced to stay indoors. This year also saw children as young as 12 accused of disorder and manslaughter while violence against women and girls also continued.
Policing across Britain remained a key issuing affecting Black and other ethnic minorties but compensation was given to those who suffered at the hands of police. At the same time, some officers were handed back their jobs after being previously dismissed. The National Black Police Association commenced a boycott of policing, while the National Police Chiefs’ Council admitted that policing was institutionally racist. The Stephen Lawrence review marked a “new low” and the unsolved murder of Kelso Cochrane was revisited highlighting some disturbing findings.
A horrific report also found that one in 20 strip-searches didn’t follow rules and Black kids are four times more likely to be strip-searched. Another case of strip-searching where one woman who is fighting for CCTV footage after alleging she was raped and drugged by officers, remains ongoing.
The Home Office was again in the spotlight with shocking cases including the Windrush scandal which continues to plague the lives of victims, and the battle for compensation continues while another Windrush-style scandal brews. The Grenfell inquiry concluded but thousands still live with dangerous cladding seven years on from the fire that killed 72 people. The Post Office scandal revealed racism at the heart of some cases and the Covid inquiry also continued however, promises to look into how racism played a part were “broken” one campaigner said.
The coverage of missing Black people was again in the spotlight and sadly, two years since rugby and X-Factor star Levi Davis went missing, he has yet to be found.
There was some good news though this year which I have gathered in my list of the 22 stories you shouldn’t have missed. It includes heroes who made a difference this year but one person who made a difference back in 2021, Jimi Olubunmi-Adewole who died after trying to save a woman, was honoured this year.
There are several important journalists who have featured frequently in The Source since it began. I want to name them all but I fear that I may miss someone out so I‘ll sit down and do it properly at the start of the year.
Otherwise, as I said in the previous newsletter, have a Happy New Year and catch you all in 2025.