On the 15th of June, our colleagues attended the Northern Race Equality Conference 2026, coordinated by the Race Equality Network, Racial Justice Network, and Ella Baker School of Organising. Taking place at Leeds University, this conference (the largest of its kind in Europe) brought together activists, academics, and organisations to collaborate and share learnings.

It is not uncommon these days to be faced with accusations of hypocrisy or met with the various ‘whataboutisms’ when advocating for any disadvantaged minority. The prevailing idea online seems to be that advocacy for one group must come at the expense of another; that interests rarely converge and regularly compete.

The 2024 general election did more than get Labour into government, it catapulted Reform UK into mainstream politics and media. The 14.3% share of the vote won by Reform placed them third and confirmed their growing popularity and support. While this didn’t result in Reform capturing a high number of seats, it is nonetheless undeniable that this party – labelled far-right by Hope not Hate – has emerged as a major political force in Britain.