To the board of M&S – your advertising is fuelling harassment and violence
By: Kevin Smith
Date: 10 July 2017
This is a letter being delivered to the board of M&S today at their Annual General Meeting, signed by 72 different anti-racist and migrant solidarity groups across the country.
To the board of M&S,
We represent 72 organisations across the UK who campaign against racism and for migrants’ rights
Our organisations bring a joint message today as you hold your Annual General Meeting because M&S’s financial support for the Daily Mail is actively contributing to the growing tide of harassment and violence that migrants (including asylum seekers and refugees), Muslims and people of colour are facing on the streets of the UK.
The UK’s media has been singled out as “uniquely aggressive in its campaigns against refugees and migrants,” in a report prepared for a United Nations body. And the chair of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has said that
“It is no coincidence that racist violence is on the rise in the UK at the same time as we see worrying examples of intolerance and hate speech in the newspapers.”
These concerns have been brought to the attention of CEO Steve Rowe, only to be rebuffed by a statement about respecting press freedom. But this is not an abstract issue of respecting the editorial independence of a free press. This is about the very real impact on the lives of people, across the UK, of the divisive and hateful narrative promoted by a specific newspaper, being legitimised, and, in fact financially supported, by M&S.
Daniela Sieff, the great granddaughter of the M&S founder, Michael Marks, described how he was an immigrant who came to the UK fleeing persecution. She has written how her grandfather, Israel Sieff, and her late father, Marcus Sieff, both previous chairmen of M&S, would take a very different position if they were still at the helm of the company. She says that “Marks and Spencer would be withdrawing its advertising from both the Daily Mail and the Daily Express” and that “they would be doing everything within their power to ensure that M&S was at the forefront of the fight against the spread of hate, racism and prejudice.”
M&S is a company which prides itself on its values, of “innovation, inspiration and integrity.” Today we are asking you to stick to these values by withdrawing your advertising and special offer partnerships with the Daily Mail.
Signed
Sondhya Gupta, Sum Of Us
Nick Dearden, Global Justice Now
Zrinka Bralo, Migants Organise
Ros Ereira, Solidarity with Refugees
Harmit Athwal, Institute of Race Relations
Noorulann Shahid, National Union of Students
Fizza Qureshi, Migrants Rights Network
Sunil Patel, Show Racism the Red Card
Black Lives Matter UK
Sheila Mosley, Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network
Asad Rehman, War on Want
Kate Alexander, Scottish Detainee Visitors
Sam Bjorn, Lesbians & Gays Support the Migrants
Zoe Matthews & Sarah Mann, Friends, Families and Travellers
Almir Koldzic and Aine O’Brien, Counterpoints Arts
Leila Zadeh, UK Lesbian & Gay Immigration Group
Sohail Jannesari, Migrant Connections Festival
Jasmin Beck, Migrant Welcome Tours
Andy Gregg, Race on the Agenda
Zita Holbourne, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts
Lisa Matthews, Right to Remain
Henry Chango Lopez, International Workers of Great Britain
Nicolas Hatton, the3million
Gracie Bradley, Schools Against Borders for Children
Roger Casale, New Europeans
Zoe Gardiner, Another Europe is Possible
Naia Bazin Lopez, People and Planet
Mika Minio-Paluello, Platform
Selina Hales, Refuweegee
Rocio Sifuentes, Ethnic Youth Support Team
Max Farrar, David Oluwale Memorial Association
Margaret Ulloa, St Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church
Aderonke Apata, Manchester Migrant Solidarity
James Tullett, Refugee and Migrant Forum of Essex and London
Beth Wilson, Bristol Refugee Rights
Kim Bryan, Mid Wales Refugee Action
Forward Maisokwadzo, Bristol City of Sanctuary
Sue Powell, Kent Refugee Help
Sue Pattinson, Stockport Stand up to Racism
Dave Clinch, North Devon Stand Up to Racism
Fr Richard McKay, Borderlands Charity
María Luisa Llorente, Españoles en Reino Unido – Surviving Brexit!
Sai Murray, Voices That Shake
John Pearson, Stockport United Against Austerity
Ed Lewis, Demand the Impossible
Solidarity with Refugees
African Rainbow Family
Chapel Street Community Arts
Merseyside Anti-Fascist Network
Liverpool Solidarity Federation
Virtual Migrants
Take Back the City
Docs not Cops
Tres Cosas campaign
The Meteor
Steve Rolfe, Global Justice Glasgow
Chris Manley, Global Justice Oxford
David Somerville, Global Justice Bradford
Jackie Oversby, Global Justice Reading
Anthony Twist, Global Justice Shropshire
Natalie Abbott, Global Justice Macclesfield
Chris Brody, Global Justice South East London
Heather Watkins, Global Justice Derby
Aidan Baker, Global Justice Cambridge
Christina Lucey, Global Justice Bexhill and Hastings
Liz Carlton, Global Justice South Essex
Dereck Prentis, Global Justice Worthing
David Hamilton, Central London Global Justice Now
Global Justice Sheffield
Global Justice Bristol
Global Justice Nottingham
Rotherham for Global Justice
