St Helens Council drops Black History Month as racist 2026

Key Points

• St Helens Borough Council, headed by Reform UK leader George Woodward, said they won’t be celebrating Black History Month in October 2026.
• The observance, according to Woodward, was “racist”, “divisive” and “a waste of officers’ time”, and that money from taxpayers should not be used to fund “subversive woke movements”.
• “The comments about Black History Month were absolutely hate speech. It’s caused a huge amount of hurt, and I think it’s a massive step back,” Bisi Osundeko, the first-ever Black deputy mayor of St Helens, said.
• This is coming after the Reform-led council decided to not engage in Pride month celebrations and cut funding for Refugee Week.
• “I just think it is utterly, utterly abhorrent,” St Helens North MP David Baines told the Independent that the position of the council is “obsessed with America-style identity politics and culture war rubbish.”
• During his interview on BBC Radio Merseyside, Woodward was asked about the council’s decision to mark Holocaust Memorial Day in January, he replied, “jury’s still out.”
• Local politicians and community groups argued that Black history is part of British history.

St Helens (Liverpool standard) October 1, 2026 — St Helens Council, under Reform UK leader George Woodward, announced on Thursday, October 1, 2026, that the authority will not observe Black History Month, describing the national October campaign as “racist” and “divisive” and a misallocation of public resources. The declaration, made in a Facebook post and followed by radio interviews, has drawn sharp criticism from MPs, councillors, community leaders and the borough’s first Black deputy mayor, who said the comments amounted to “hate speech” and had inflicted significant pain on local residents.

What did George Woodward say about Black History Month?

In a policy announcement posted on Thursday evening, Councillor George Woodward, leader of the Reform-led St Helens Council, said the authority “shall not be observing Black History Month”. He argued that it was “not appropriate for celebrations to centre on one skin tone” and added: “To be frank, it’s racist and divisive.” Woodward stated: “We don’t care if you’re black. We don’t care if you’re Asian. The only thing that matters is if you love our country and respect British culture.”

He also framed the decision in terms of cost and priorities, calling Black History Month a “poor use of officer resources” and saying: “Taxpayers’ money shouldn’t be contributing to subversive woke movements.” In an interview on BBC Radio Merseyside’s breakfast show on Friday, October 2, Woodward reiterated his view, telling the station: “I think it is pretty much the definition of racism to split people up and prioritise certain groups based on protected characteristics. Why are we celebrating just one race over another?”

As reported by Rebecca Brahde and Marc Gaier of the BBC, Woodward said that if Britain was “to survive as a country then we can’t keep subdividing people into groups based on characteristics like skin tone, religion and ethnicity”. The council leader’s comments were presented by the BBC as part of a broader pattern since Reform UK took control of St Helens Council in May, with local leaders having chosen not to engage in Pride month and having withdrawn funding for Refugee Week activity.

How have local politicians and community leaders responded?

Bisi Osundeko, who was the first Black deputy mayor for St Helens and the first person of African heritage elected to the council, issued a strong rebuke. Speaking to the BBC, she said Woodward’s remarks had “caused a lot of hurt” and were “a massive step backwards”, adding: “I cannot understand how somebody who is in a position of leadership, who should be a role model to young people, will make statements that can cause a lot of harm, division and hurt.” Osundeko, who was born in Lagos, told the BBC: “Celebrating black history and the contributions of black people does not alienate other races,” and said: “When you think about the historical contributions of black people to St Helens — many of whom are doctors, carers, nurses and business owners — our visibility is important. It feels like our contributions are being erased.” She concluded: “That’s the thing about the announcement by the leader of the council. I don’t see this as a policy update or announcement. I see this as hate speech.”

David Baines, Labour MP for St Helens North, condemned the decision in comments reported by the St Helens Star and the Liverpool Echo. As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Baines said Woodward had a “twisted world view” and was “utterly obsessed with American-style identity politics and culture war nonsense”. He added: “Senior Reform politicians have spent the week arguing that if you aren’t white you can’t be English. On BBC Question Time last night they said exactly that. It’s racist.” Baines told the St Helens Star the announcement was “utterly shameful, depressing, and short sighted” and called on Reform to “get on with running services”.

Local councillors also questioned the framing of the decision. Labour councillor Michael A Fisher, representing Town Centre ward, told the St Helens Star that while there could be a legitimate debate about resource allocation, Woodward’s post turned it into a “culture-war argument”. Fisher said: “If the real argument is that Black History Month is a poor use of council resources, then fine — let’s have that conversation. Tell residents what it actually costs, how much officer time is involved, what the money would otherwise be spent on, and why the council believes stopping it is the right use of those resources.” He added: “And honestly, the idea that recognising Black history somehow conflicts with British culture makes very little sense. Black people have been part of Britain’s history for centuries. Their stories, achievements and contributions are part of British history too.”

The Newton and Earlestown Community Group said Black History Month was an opportunity to recognise contributions made by Black communities and learn about local history, highlighting previous work on the Newton-le-Willows Heritage Trail researching the area’s links to the slave trade. The group said: “Let’s uplift black voices, celebrate black excellence, and keep building a future rooted in unity and inclusion.”

Jeanie Bell, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside, said she “profoundly” disagreed with the council’s decision, according to the St Helens Star. The St Helens Liberal Democrat group said it “completely disagrees” with the move, stating: “Black history is British history”, and warning that recognising Black History Month did not diminish other histories or British culture. The Lib Dems also cited the council’s duties under the Equality Act 2010, saying: “As a local authority, St Helens Borough Council has responsibilities under the Equality Act to have due regard to advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations between different communities.”

What about Holocaust Memorial Day and other observances?

The controversy widened after Woodward was asked about Holocaust Memorial Day during his BBC Radio Merseyside interview on Friday, October 2. As reported by the St Helens Star, when asked whether the council would continue to mark the event in January, he said: “Jury’s out on that.” He explained that the Reform-led council was reviewing events across the calendar “one by one” and deciding which ones it would support, adding: “On the whole, we’re okay with Christian calendar events and things which are unifying and [where] everyone can come together.”

The remarks prompted an immediate response from David Baines. As reported by the St Helens Star, Baines wrote: “The Reform Leader of St Helens Council, George Woodward, asked whether the council will be marking Holocaust Memorial Day in January: ‘the jury’s out’.” He continued: “Yesterday our Jewish friends and neighbours. Then LGBT. Yesterday our black friends and neighbours. Tomorrow Jews?” Baines described the position as “utterly, utterly abhorrent”.

The St Helens Star noted that the council’s Library Service had organised a Holocaust Memorial Day event at St Helens Town Hall in January 2026, featuring performances and readings from schoolchildren and young people.

What is Black History Month and how has St Helens marked it before?

Black History Month is observed every October across the UK and aims to share, celebrate and help people understand the impact of Black heritage and culture. The national campaign highlights achievements, history and contributions of Black people in the UK, with this year’s theme described as “Honouring Our Communities”.

St Helens Council itself has previously promoted Black History Month. In October 2025, the authority published an article titled The Importance of Black History Month: My Story, My Heritage, Our St Helens, featuring Councillor Bisi Osundeko, the borough’s first Black deputy mayor. The 2025 piece underscored the council’s prior engagement with the observance, contrasting with the current administration’s decision to cease participation.

Background to the development

Reform UK took control of St Helens Council following the local elections in May 2026, installing George Woodward as council leader. Since then, the party’s local leaders have chosen not to engage in Pride month and have withdrawn funding for Refugee Week activity, according to the BBC. The Black History Month announcement marks the latest in a series of decisions that have placed the council at the centre of national debate over identity, culture and the role of local authorities in marking national observances.

The decision also comes amid wider scrutiny of Reform UK’s approach to cultural and identity issues. David Baines referenced recent appearances by senior Reform figures on BBC Question Time, including Suella Braverman, who faced accusations of suggesting non-white people cannot be English. Baines said: “Reform are a party increasingly obsessed with identity politics and stoking division, so perhaps we shouldn’t really be surprised that Reform councillors in St Helens are so against the teaching of black history.”

Within the council, the shift has raised questions about how future calendar events will be treated. Woodward told the St Helens Star that the council was going through its calendar “one by one” after the Black History Month announcement. His comment that the “jury’s out” on Holocaust Memorial Day has intensified concerns among MPs, community leaders and faith groups about the potential erosion of support for established national commemorations.

Prediction: how this development could affect residents, schools and community cohesion

If St Helens Council maintains its current stance, schools, libraries and community groups that previously relied on council support for Black History Month activities may face reduced access to venues, programming and promotional assistance. Teachers and librarians who had planned events could encounter uncertainty over bookings and permissions, potentially limiting opportunities for pupils to engage with local and national Black history as part of the curriculum and extracurricular work.

The rhetoric surrounding the decision is also likely to affect community relations. Osundeko’s description of the comments as “hate speech” and her warning about harm and division suggest that some residents may feel marginalised or less willing to engage with council-led initiatives. Community organisations that have worked with the council on heritage projects, such as the Newton and Earlestown Community Group’s research into local links to the slave trade, may reassess their partnerships if they perceive the authority as hostile to inclusive historical narratives.

Politically, the episode could deepen partisan divides in the borough and influence how residents view Reform UK’s governance beyond service delivery. Critics such as David Baines and Michael A Fisher have framed the move as a culture-war prioritisation rather than a neutral budgeting decision, which may shape voter perceptions ahead of future elections. At the same time, supporters of the council leader’s position may view the decision as a corrective to what they see as excessive focus on identity-based observances, potentially consolidating a base that favours a narrower definition of “British culture”.

If the “jury’s out” approach extends to other commemorations, including Holocaust Memorial Day, there is a risk of further alienation among Jewish, LGBT and minority communities, alongside heightened scrutiny from equality regulators regarding the council’s duties under the Equality Act 2010. The long-term effect may be a more fragmented civic calendar, with community groups and schools seeking alternative funding and venues outside the council’s direct control to sustain inclusive historical and cultural programming.