Afrobeats ban shows UK isn’t serious

THE BLOCKING of Afrobeat stars’ visas is yet another example of how racism is also an act of self-harm on Britain.

Just at the moment when Afrobeats is taking over as the most popular genre — and even being appropriated by pop stars — along comes Suella Braverman to prevent Britain capitalising on this cultural opportunity.

There’s a thriving Afrobeat scene in the UK, thanks in part to how large African communities are.

Britain is the beating heart of Afrobeats outside of est frica yet all Home Office officials see are ‘potential illegal immigrants’.

Our investigation (pages 4-5) found one Afrobeats star was denied a visa because his promoter was judged to have too much money for his age.

Another Afrobeats producer said he was considering shooting his music videos in Ghana rather than Britain because immigration officials ere being too stringent. is is not t e only act of self arm Britain in icts upon itself due to racism.

A government review by Baroness Ruby McGregorSmith found the UK loses £24 billion a year — or 1.3 per cent of GDP — due to racism in employment.

On top of this, the most entrepreneurial people are newcomers, including those who sought asylum here.

The Home Secretary’s desire to pull up the drawbridge will deny Britain the top business people and job-creators of the future.

If Britain is to prosper outside the EU, the government must recognise that the value of diversity is not only cultural, but it is also economic.

In this post-Brexit world, we simply cannot afford to lose Black talent from the jobs market, turn away tomorrow’s business successes, or shut musicians out.

Last year, we revealed that no UK trade minister had visited an African nation — but Britain had struck a trade deal with Liechtenstein (pop. 40,000).

These are not the actions of a serious country, with serious leaders.

If we want to break the cycle of low productivity and the longest wage squeeze, it will help if Britain gets less racist.