I hosted a joint session in Parliament of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Race and Community – which I Chair – and the APPG on Race Equality in Education which focussed on supporting UK schools to make the teaching and learning of English Literature more inclusive of writers of colour.

In 2021 Penguin UK Books and the Runnymede Trust produced ground-breaking research, Lit in Colour, which found that fewer than 1% of students at GCSE study a book by a writer of colour.

Books create belonging. They help us see each other and understand one another. They shine a light on the world. It’s vital that the books we read in our formative years reflect the rich diversity of the society we live in.

The event looked at how to support schools to make the teaching and learning of English Literature more inclusive so every pupil can feel a sense of belonging. We want to increase students’ access to more books by writers of colour and those from minority ethnic backgrounds.