Identity, Immigration & Britain’s Future
John Gray, Emma Dabiri, Matthew Syed, Ayishat Akanbi w/ Sir Trevor Phillips
In January 2025, The Equiano Project hosted a powerful discussion on immigration, identity, and cultural conflicts at the stunning National Portrait Gallery. It was an evening of sharp analysis, historical context, and forward-looking debate—one that felt more urgent than ever.
By mid-century, Britain’s population is expected to reach 80 million, with half being foreign-born or the descendants of immigrants. This raised key questions in the discussion:
How will these demographic shifts reshape society?
What happens when traditional paths to integration weaken?
Are we moving toward a more cohesive Britain—or toward parallel communities?
We wanted this event to go beyond the usual soundbites and political platitudes. Our speakers engaged in an honest, nuanced, and at times uncomfortable debate, grappling with the cultural, social, and political forces shaping Britain today.
Our distinguished panel included;
John Gray – Philosopher & Author
Matthew Syed – Journalist & Author
Emma Dabiri – Academic, Broadcaster & Author
Ayishat Akanbi – Fashion Stylist & Culture Critic
Chaired by Sir Trevor Phillips, Sky News broadcaster & businessman
Introductory perspectives from the Panel
John Gray argued that culture wars are far from over, describing them as a reaction to liberal policies that have disrupted social norms. He suggested that what liberals call "culture war" is often resistance to imposed changes in language, social structures, and identity politics. Gray viewed these conflicts as an inevitable pushback against policies that were never fully debated or agreed upon by society.
Emma Dabiri, provided a historical perspective on race, asserting that the concept of race itself was a social construct designed to divide and control populations. She linked contemporary cultural conflicts to historical power dynamics, arguing that culture wars continue to serve as tools for the ruling class to prevent solidarity among marginalised groups. Dabiri emphasised that these divisions have deep historical roots, dating back to colonial times.
Ayishat Akanbi, echoed the sentiment that culture wars are not disappearing anytime soon. She highlighted the role of technology and social media in amplifying cultural grievances, noting that shared resentments often mobilise people more effectively than shared interests. She also suggested that contemporary cultural debates, including those around gender, follow a predictable pattern, where societal divisions are continuously reinforced through online discourse.
Matthew Syed took a different stance, arguing that the UK has made significant progress in racial integration and that identity politics distracts from more pressing issues. He pointed to his own mixed-race background as evidence of a more tolerant society compared to past decades. While acknowledging that discrimination exists globally, he emphasised that Western nations fare relatively well. Syed also critiqued culture wars as a diversion from fundamental problems such as public debt, which he sees as the real issue threatening future generations.
You can watch more on our YouTube channel.
Paid subscribers get access to the full, unedited discussion—including the moments that didn’t make the public cut. Click here to access the full event.
Enjoyed the debate very much, although was nonplussed when Trevor Phillips in summing up, closed with ‘this is something we’re going to have to deal with because without immigration we can’t have growth’, leaving no time to debate what was the most contentious comment of the evening.
UK GDP/Capita has stagnated since 2005 when immigration started rising dramatically. GDP itself can be increased simply by running higher deficits & is not a good measure of wealth. Controlling the type of immigration, supply side measures, getting people back to work (especially after lockdown) & reducing welfare dependency are among many counter arguments.
It doesn’t really matter whether the non-indigenous population integrates well or not. The ethnic Brits are being ethnically cleansed. For comparison, imagine reducing the ethnic Japanese to a minority in their islands and saying it’s fine if the incomers integrate well. We‘d all know that the true Japan had been destroyed. But our rulers are all hell-bent on a genocide of the Brits, approved of by the chattering classes, even though it’s well-known it’s against the will of the majority. This is a crime against humanity.