A local campaigner and MP have blasted claims that the countryside is a 'white space' and 'racist.'

This comes after a report from the Wildlife and Countryside Link, a charity group made up of more than 80 members which include bodies such as WWF, the RSPCA and the National Trust on their evidence on the links between racism and climate change to the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for Race and Community.

Despite being members of the group, WWF, the RSPCA and National Trust did not support the response.

The report said: “Racist colonial legacies continue to frame nature in the UK as a ''white space'' and people of colour as ''out of place'' in these spaces and environmental sector.'

It outlined that the role of the global north and west of Europe has contributed disproportionately to climate change, with the UK historically playing a big role in this.

The report has been the subject of discussions in the media in recent weeks about whether the countryside is racist or a ‘white space’ with presenter and journalist Piers Morgan expressing his outrage at the claims on his TV show. Jeremy Clarkson also rubbished the claims in a newspaper column. 

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman took to social media platform X, and said: "The countryside isn’t racist. It’s open and welcoming to those who choose to enjoy it."

MP for South Dorset, Richard Drax has weighed in on the row, rubbishing the claims.

He said: “An optimist at heart, I am beginning to despair at all the divisive rubbish that fills the column inches and airwaves.

“The countryside is the countryside and nothing whatsoever to do with ‘white space’ or ‘racism’.

“Following the pandemic, there appears to be a collective breakdown in the country, common sense having been bludgeoned to the ground.”

Lynne Hubbard, co-chair for the group Stand Up to Racism Dorset said: “The countryside contains all kinds of people.

“While the report was right to highlight the impact of colonialism, we should turn to the way things are taught in school and the way the media deal with these incidents.

“Although black and minority ethnic people remain a minority, there is an increasing number in the community.

“Things are changing for ourselves in Dorset, with 20 per cent of our nursing staff in the county coming from outside the UK.

“There is always room for positive change and this comes when people meet people of a different culture and heritage. It’s then that they realise that they’re a positive addition for the community.

“I would like to see a government that does not promote racism and fear, talking of invasions and overwhelmed services. For people that don’t know others from a different heritage this fear is then encouraged.

“For instance, when people see the refugees from the [Bibby Stockholm] barge volunteering in our community, they realise that they want to contribute to society. The perception is that people want to take, not give- but that is simply not the case.“

The Wildlife and Countryside Link have since released a statement saying that they 'do not believe the entire countryside is a racist, colonial, white space - as has been falsely reported by some media outlets' - and neither do its members.

The spokesperson went on to clarify the Link's thoughts saying that they 'recognise the immense challenges in making sure everyone feels welcome at nature sites, the historical issues contributing to this, and the fact that racism is still worryingly being experienced by some people of colour when accessing nature.'

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link said: “The British countryside is enjoyed by millions of people from a huge variety of backgrounds every day, with a warm welcome from rural communities. However, this isn’t the case for everyone. There are many accounts showing that some people of colour continue to experience racist comments and abuse when visiting nature. This is well-evidenced, including in reports from Government and from public bodies.

“We believe it is right to explore and address the barriers and racism that some communities face, so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of our beautiful countryside. That's why we're working towards policies which help everyone, regardless of background, to enjoy better access to nature.”