Culture Secretary: Racism experienced by Jess Carter is 'horrifying'

ITV News

4 days ago

The Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has told ITV News the online racism experienced by Jess Carter during the Euros was "horrendous", adding that "this has to be the moment that acts as a catalyst for change".
In an interview with ITV News Sports Editor Steve Scott, the Lioness said was targeted by "violently aggressive racism" online.
The night before the final against Spain, Carter said it was the first time she had ever "been scared to play" because of "whatever abuse might come with it".
In response, Nandy said it was "horrifying" to hear the racism that Carter had received.
"I don't want the next generation of Jess Carter's to be put off from playing football because of the experience that she and others have had to go through," she said.
"So her speaking out has to be the moment when we all get a wakeup call and we say enough is enough."
Nandy said she had a "tremendous amount of admiration" for Carter for speaking out, however added that it shouldn't be up to her and other players to "fight these battles alone".
She said the government had set up a Women's Sport Taskforce since the Lionesses' success, to ensure what Carter has experienced "no longer" happens in sport.
She also added that the government has passed legislation placing tougher standards on social media companies, with a requirement to take down harmful content quickly, and that Technology Secretary Peter Kyle was looking at what more the government can do.
However, "the answer isn't just online, the answer has to be in the real world as well," Nandy said.
"There's a reason why people feel they can go and make these comments online, and think that they'll get away with it."
She continued: "We've got to get to the point where, as a society, we are asserting the right of young women, whatever their race, whatever their background, to go out and to participate in sports at the highest level, and face nothing but celebration for their talent."
"This has to be the moment that acts as a catalyst for change, where we say 'we won't tolerate this anymore'," she added.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also praised Carter for speaking out, but added that the UK is "not a racist country".
"It's heartbreaking to hear Jess say that, as a black women myself, I know what she's talking about," she said.
"But I would start of by saying, this is not a racist country.
"We live in one of the most fair and least prejudiced countries on earth, if not the most.
"But there are certain groups of people who target very high profile ethnic minorities. They're not many, but they're able to do so publicly and visibly.
"The targeting of specific individuals means that even though there's not that much racism in the country, specific individuals can actually feel quite a lot of it.
"And that's what Jess is saying, so I'm not surprised by what she has said."
Badenoch said that everyone needs to reinforce that the UK is a "country that doesn't judge people on the colour of their skin, or their sex, their gender.
"We are a country that judges people based on how good they are, what they do, what they can achieve, their potential."