Yesterday marked the final day of the UK's 36th Black History month, an annual celebration of Black heritage and culture.

But it came amidst a fierce debate over what it means to be both Black and British today. This is, after all, the year in which one of the UK's biggest names, Idris ElbaAn English actor, rapper and singer, born in London in 1972. , stated that he does not want to be thought of as a Black actor.

Some experts say this is because what it means to be a minority is becoming ever more complex.

The fastest-growing ethnicity in the UK is mixed-race, which rose by 61% between 2011 and 2021. Mixed-race people now make up 2.9% of the population.¹ By 2100, it is thought likely to be around 67%.²

Their identity is complicated, and so is their relationship with other ethnic minority communities.

What is more, Britain's different ethnic groups have quite different experiences. Almost half of British Chinese households are in the top 40% richest households nationally. Meanwhile, 59% of Black households are in the bottom 40%.³

Even within groups that are sometimes lumped together, big differences emerge. For example, British Indians have an average income that is roughly the same as that of White British people, whereas British Bangladeshis and Pakistanis earn £200 a week less.⁴ 

They also vote differently. Although 40% of British Indian voters still prefer LabourBritain's main left-of-centre political party., 30% now favour the Conservatives.⁵ However, British Pakistanis are going the other way: in 2010 13% of them voted for the Conservative PartyA British political party. Members are known as Tories., whereas in 2017 it was just 5%.⁶

Some say this means labels like "BAMEBlack, Asian and Minority Ethnic. " no longer refer to anything.

But others are not convinced it is time to jettisonAbandon or throw away. labels. They say while all ethnic minorities experience racism differently, what unites them is that they do experience it.

And much of what they experience is identical. One-third of people from ethnic and religious minorities have experienced a racist assault, ranging from insults to physical attacks.⁷

So, they claim, whatever you think is your identity, society will still treat you as Black or Asian.

The only way in which racism can be overcome, they say, is if ethnic groups build solidarity with each other. But that will not be possible if they do not have the language to describe their identities.

Yes: Identity just is not that important in most people's lives. It does not decide who their friends are, who they fall in love with, or who they vote for. It is time to stop thinking so much about it.

No: Racism is still a lived reality, and there is no way of fighting it without talking about identity. Those who want to give up the language of identity are throwing others under the bus.

Or... People's lives are still greatly affected by their race; it is just that their experiences are now more variable. We need a more sophisticated language of identity to understand how it still holds some people back.