The entire race equality committee of Equity has resigned in protest after the actors’ union apologised on its behalf for criticising Laurence Fox’s views on race and reached an out-of-court settlement with the actor after he threatened to sue them for libel.
Equity’s minority ethnic members had labelled Fox “a disgrace to our industry” after the actor appeared on Question Time in January and insisted press criticism of Meghan Markle was not rooted in racism.
The former star of the detective drama Lewis also used his appearance on the BBC discussion show to insist it was “racist” for an audience member to call him “a white, privileged male”.
“We’re the most tolerant, lovely country in Europe,” he said at the time. “It’s so easy to throw the card of racism at everybody and it’s really starting to get boring now.”
In the aftermath of his appearance, minority representatives of the actors’ union made a series of accusations on Twitter against Fox, saying he wanted to “berate and bully women of colour attempting to discuss issues of race and gender discrimination”.
They also said Fox had been “playing to the gallery, a populist tirade, with women of colour being used as cannon fodder”, and “occupied a highly advantaged position” while trying to “damn any recognition of that privilege as the very racism he claims is exaggerated when people of colour try to discuss it”.
Fox’s appearance on Question Time set off a lengthy series of discussions in the media about his comments, which included his separate, erroneous claims that it was wrong to show Sikh soldiers in the first world war film 1917. The actor swiftly became a popular guest for right-leaning publications, with his comments making the front page of the Daily Mail.
On Friday, the actors’ union issued a carefully worded statement apologising for the comments: “We are sorry that in the tweets he was called a ‘disgrace’ by Equity. It was a mistake for Equity as an organisation to criticise him in this way. Nothing in Equity’s later statement was intended as a slur on his character or views, or to suggest that he should be denied the ability to work. We would like to make that clear. Equity and Laurence Fox condemn prejudice unequivocally in all its forms.”
In response to reports that a payment had been made to the actor, an Equity spokesperson said the settlement did not include financial compensation.
Daniel York Loh, the former chair of the race equality committee, said he and his eight other colleagues on the committee, elected by the union’s minority ethnic members, felt forced to resign as a result of the decision to apologise to the actor.
He tweeted: “Equity and La*rence F*x can issue as many joint statements and apologies as they like. It’s nothing to do with me and I apologise for nothing.”
Fox, a member of a well-known acting family, previously said he was concerned he would not be able to work following the intervention from the Equity race equality committee. A source close to Fox said a particular concern was its call for him to be “unequivocally denounced” for his comments on race, which could have reduced his ability to earn money from roles and make a living to enable him to look after his family.
They added: “He is pleased and grateful to Equity for this decision. He looks forward now to moving on in his professional and personal life after what has been a very difficult period for him and his family.”
The 41-year-old’s appearance on the programme occurred as part of his second career as a singer, while promoting his new album A Grief Observed, which was written about his divorce from his ex-wife Billie Piper.
• This article was amended on 14 March 2020 to include a response from an Equity spokesperson, received after publication, saying that the out-of-court settlement with Laurence Fox did not include financial compensation. References in the standfirst and article to the actor being “paid” a settlement have also been amended accordingly.
