Mercy Muroki is a Kenyan-British researcher, journalist, and television presenter. She was a member of the UK government's Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities in 2021. In the same year, she began presenting on GB News, as well as writing columns for tabloid newspaper The Sun.

Official government portrait, 2023

Early life, education and research

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Muroki was born in Kenya and moved to West London at the age of five. She became a mother at 18 and while claiming Universal Credit, she studied Politics at Queen Mary University of London from 2015 to 2018 and graduated with a first.[1] She completed a Master of Science degree in Comparative Social Policy at Jesus College, Oxford, from 2019 to 2021.[1][2] [citation needed] Muroki was the youngest of the researchers appointed on the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities, which made the conclusion in 2021 that British society is not institutionally racist.[3] In 2023, Muroki became a policy adviser for the Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch.[4][5]

Media work and views

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Muroki is a columnist for The Sun newspaper, where she has expressed conservative views, including criticism of the Labour Party, who she has claimed demonise black and female conservatives, as well as "anti-woke" views.[1] She has also written for The Times, where she has argued that black Conservatives are demonised by the Labour Party,[6] and that "politics of class and victimhood" hold back black youth.[7]

Muroki was signed by GB News, which began broadcasting in June 2021. On the channel, she co-hosted Brazier & Muroki, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 12 pm, with veteran anchor Colin Brazier.[8] In August 2021, Brazier & Muroki was replaced by To the Point, which Muroki co-hosted with Patrick Christys.[9] On 27 October 2022, Muroki tweeted that she had left GB News.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Sherwin, Adam (23 April 2021). "GB News signs Mercy Muroki, Race report Commissioner who backs dismissal of 'institutional racism'". i. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Mercy Muroki". University of Oxford. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. ^ Thomas, Tobi (31 March 2021). "Racial disparities in the UK: the people who compiled the report". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  4. ^ Meighan, Craig (13 January 2023). "Former GB News host Mercy Muroki to advise Kemi Badenoch on gender". The National. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Mercy Muroki". GOV.UK. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  6. ^ Muroki, Mercy (31 July 2019). "Labour must stop its demonisation of ethnic-minority Tories". The Times. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  7. ^ Muroki, Mercy (30 September 2019). "Disadvantaged kids are held back by the politics of class and victimhood". The Times. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (26 May 2021). "Discovery-Backed GB News Channel to Launch in June". Variety. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  9. ^ Wilkes, Neil (5 August 2021). "Patrick Christys to take over from Colin Brazier on GB News". Media Mole. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  10. ^ Mercy [@MercyMuroki] (27 October 2022). "I've decided it's right for me to part ways with GB News. I wish my former colleagues all the best" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 October 2022 – via Twitter.