Thread by @DavidLammy

The world does not need any more white saviours. As I've said before, this just perpetuates tired and unhelpful stereotypes. Let's instead promote voices from across the continent of Africa and have serious debate.
mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/sta…

Hi @StaceyDooley. This isn't personal and I don't question your good motives. My problem with British celebrities being flown out by Comic Relief to make these films is that it sends a distorted image of Africa which perpetuates an old idea from the colonial era.

Comic Relief has a huge platform and privilege and it is the first and major way children learn about Africa. If they only show Africans as helpless victims to be pitied, children miss the broader picture of huge progress in Africa. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Life expediencies are up by over 10% in 37 African states; the percentage increase in the GDP of the 11 largest sub-Saharan countries was over twice that of the world average, and remittances from the African diaspora are $9bn higher than the amount sent in international aid.

Comic Relief should be helping to establish an image of African people as equals to be respected rather than helpless victims to be pitied. It would therefore be better for people who actually live there to speak about the continent they know.
bbc.co.uk/news/entertain…

Many black Brits feel deeply uncomfortable with Comic Relief's poverty porn. It’s my job to represent their views however uncomfortable. They want their children to have rounded views about Africa and these types of campaign woefully fail to do that.
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…