Anti-racism charity threatens to sue Sunderland's Reform council over 'libel' after funding is axed

From the Newshound archive · first published 22 September 2026 · last updated 23 September 2026.

Show Racism the Red Card chief executive Ged Grebby says his lawyers will examine whether Sunderland City Council leader Chris Eynon defamed the charity by calling it "politically charged" with an "agenda". Eynon pulled the council's 30-year funding relationship with the organisation, accusing Grebby of "stark political bias" after he made personal comments critical of Reform and Nigel Farage. The decision means anti-racism education programmes in Sunderland schools will now be scrapped.

The funding axed trained 250 teachers and reached 1,675 young people in Sunderland in the past year alone.

Grebby insists the charity has cross-party support from the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Greens, calling any Labour link 'absolute nonsense'.

He says he stands by personal criticism of Farage and Reform but insists the charity itself has always been politically neutral.