Misan Harriman Under Fire: A Right-Wing Campaign Targeting Britain’s First Black Vogue Cover Star

In May 2026 a coordinated right-wing media effort sought to remove Misan Harriman, the Nigerian-born British photographer who chairs London’s Southbank Centre, accusing him of lacking cultural credentials and of “pro-Palestinian” bias after his solidarity with Golders Green attack victims.

The Guardian

Harriman, Oscar-nominated for *The After* and the first Black photographer on a British Vogue cover, has chaired the Southbank Centre—a European cultural hub with three concert halls and six resident orchestras—since 2021. He is also the son of a billionaire.

The Guardian

Critics include far-right activist Tommy Robinson, *The Times* culture writer Richard Morrison, *The Telegraph* arts correspondent Craig Simpson, and historian Lord Roberts of Belgravia, who signed a letter to *The Times* urging “growing concerns for the Southbank Centre.”

The Guardian

2021: Harriman appointed chair. Early 2026: Robinson’s “re-migration” rally. May 2026: Morrison questions Harriman’s classical-music expertise; Simpson labels him a “pro-Palestinian arts boss.” Lord Roberts signs the Times letter; Amnesty and *The Voice* issue defenses; a petition to IPSO gathers over 100,000 signatures.

The Guardian

Amnesty International warned that leveraging one community’s trauma against another weakens overall safety, and *The Voice* said the attacks focus on damaging reputations rather than genuine accountability.

The Guardian

Right-wing commentators claim Harriman lacks classical-music expertise, citing his inability to play the cello, and portray his friendships with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as disqualifying. They also label his “pro-Palestinian” stance as incompatible with leading a major cultural institution.

The Guardian

Critics alleged Harriman compared Reform UK’s electoral success to the Holocaust; he actually quoted Susan Sontag on pre-war Germany. Accusations that he spread a “conspiracy theory” about the Golders Green attacks conflict with his posted solidarity with the Jewish community and his call for equal coverage of the Muslim victim.

The Guardian

• “But you’re all right. You speak English. You’re like us.” — Tommy Robinson

The Guardian

• “when we allow one community’s trauma to be played off against another’s, we weaken the foundation of safety for everyone.” — Amnesty International

The Guardian

• “this is not accountability culture, it’s more reputational warfare” — *The Voice*

The Guardian

• “solidarity to the Jewish community” — Misan Harriman (social-media post)

The Guardian

The campaign illustrates how ethnic-minority leaders in high-profile cultural institutions can become targets of coordinated media attacks, raising concerns about free expression, representation and the politicisation of Britain’s cultural sector.

The Guardian

The IPSO complaint will be reviewed, and the Southbank Centre’s board faces pressure to address the allegations. Outcomes may set precedents for how British cultural bodies respond to identity-based challenges.

The Guardian