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Sir Lenny Henry, Stormzy and Michaela Coel are among those to have been named on a list of the UK’s most influential black people – but a history-making female businesswoman has taken the top spot.

The Powerlist, which has been published annually since 2007, identifies the UK’s most powerful people of African, African Caribbean and African American heritage.

The 2023 list includes actors Sir Lenny, 64, and Idris Elba, 50, actress and screenwriter Coel, 35, 29-year-old rapper Stormzy, UK Cyber Security Council chief Simon Hepburn and footballer Marcus Rashford.

But The Powerlist 2023 has been topped by chair of the John Lewis Partnership Dame Sharon White.

EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY OCTOBER 28 File photo dated 13/10/22 of Sir Lenny Henry, who along with Stormzy and Michaela Coel are among those to have been named on a list of the UK's most influential black people.
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Sir Lenny Henry was also recognised

Dame Sharon, 55, who is the first ever female chair of the department store chain, said: “It is an incredible honour to have been chosen to receive this year’s Powerlist Award – particularly given the outstanding contributions of the other nominees.

“My hope is that we can take the serendipity out of social mobility – everyone should have the chance to be who they want to be in life, with their background as a source of pride, not a disadvantage.”

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Also featuring in The Powerlist top 10 is podcast host and Dragons Den star Steven Bartlett.

Organisers of the list say it was launched “to showcase black role models to young people”.

Many of those on the newly announced compilation, such as former professional footballer and sports presenter Alex Scott and Get Out actor Daniel Kaluuya, have also featured in previous years.

September 12, 2021, Kington Upon Thames, United Kingdom: Kington Upon Thames, England, 12th September 2021. Television presenter, Alex Scott during the The FA Womens Super League match at Kingsmeadow, Kington Upon Thames. Picture credit should read: Paul Terry / Sportimage(Credit Image: © Paul Terry/CSM via ZUMA Wire) (Cal Sport Media via AP Images)
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Sports star and TV presenter, Alex Scott. Pic: Associated Press
Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring City's opener against Southampton in the quarter-final
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Raheem Sterling

Among those featuring for the very first time are the Bank of England’s chief financial officer Afua Kyei and its senior advisor Tangy Morgan, as well as chair of the UK Cyber Security Council Dr Claudia Natanson.

Raheem Sterling, Edward Enninful, David Lammy, and Munroe Bergdorf are also on the list.

The Powerlist is selected by an independent panel of judges led by chair Dame Linda Dobbs, a judicial commissioner and former High Court judge.

‘Huge impact’

The judging panel also included businessman and winner of the first series of The Apprentice, Tim Campbell.

Michael Eboda, chief executive of Powerful Media who published The Powerlist 2023, said it was “the leading showcase, acknowledgement and reminder of the amazing individuals of African, African Caribbean and African American heritage we have in the UK”.

He added that Dame Sharon was an example of “true excellence”.

“She has been able to have a huge impact in one of the top retail companies in the UK, which is truly remarkable. I applaud the great work she is doing.”

More plaudits

Sir Lenny was also honoured at this year’s Ethnicity Awards.

He was named alongside Sir Mo Farah, 39, who won the Sports Trailblazer Award for using his platform to speak out against discrimination after he revealed earlier this year he was trafficked to the UK when he was eight.

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Mo Farah on being trafficked: ‘I would lock myself in a bathroom and cry’

Sir Lenny, 64, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award for championing racial equality and standing up for communities across his long career as an actor, broadcaster and comedian.

Olympic runner Dina Asher-Smith, 26, was awarded Sports Personality of the Year for opening up about her experiences of racism and Alison Hammond, 47, was given the host of the year prize.

Emeli Sande, 35, received the Music Artist of the Year Award for “fighting discrimination and equality”, while Azeem Rafiq, 31, was presented with the Media Impact Award for speaking out about the racial abuse and bullying he experienced at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

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Sabrina Carpenter hits out at ‘evil and disgusting’ White House video featuring her song

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Sabrina Carpenter hits out at 'evil and disgusting' White House video featuring her song

Sabrina Carpenter has hit out at an “evil and disgusting” White House video of migrants being detained that uses one of her songs.

“Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” the pop star posted on X.

The White House used part of Carpenter‘s upbeat song Juno over pictures of immigration agents handcuffing, chasing and detaining people.

It was posted on social media on Monday and has been viewed 1.2 million times so far.

President Trump‘s policy of sending officers into communities to forcibly round up illegal immigrants has proved controversial, with protests and legal challenges ongoing.

Mr Trump promised the biggest deportation in US history, but some of those detained have been living and working in the US for decades and have no criminal record.

Carpenter is not the only star to express disgust over the administration’s use of their music.

More on Sabrina Carpenter

Olivia Rodrigo last month warned the White House not to “ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda” after All-American Bitch was used in a video urging undocumented migrants to leave voluntarily.

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In July, English singer Jess Glynne also said she felt “sick” when her song from the viral Jet2 advert was used over footage of people in handcuffs being loaded on a plane.

Other artists have also previously hit out at Trump officials for using their music at political campaign events, including Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, Ozzy Osbourne and The Rolling Stones.

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Matthew Perry’s parents say doctor is ‘among most culpable of all’ ahead of first sentencing over star’s death

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Matthew Perry's parents say doctor is 'among most culpable of all' ahead of first sentencing over star's death

Matthew Perry’s parents have criticised the “jackals” involved in dealing drugs to the star – and accused a doctor of being “among the most culpable of all” ahead of his sentencing today.

Emotional victim impact statements by Perry‘s mother Suzanne and stepfather Keith Morrison, and father John and stepmother Debbie, have been submitted to the US district court for Central California ahead of Salvador Plasencia’s hearing.

They say “no one alive and in touch with the world” could have been unaware of the Friends star’s struggles with addiction, and that the doctor broke his vows “repeatedly” to “feed on the vulnerability of our son”.

Plasencia, 44, is the first of five people to be sentenced in connection with the 54-year-old’s death, and has pleaded guilty to illegally selling him large amounts of ketamine. He is not accused of selling the dose that killed the actor, but had been supplying the drug to him in the weeks beforehand.

Salvador Plasencia appeared in court to change his plea to guilty earlier this year. Pic: Reuters/Mike Blake
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Salvador Plasencia appeared in court to change his plea to guilty earlier this year. Pic: Reuters/Mike Blake

Perry was found in his hot tub by his assistant in October 2023. A medical examiner later ruled that ketamine and other factors had caused him to lose consciousness and drown.

In their letter filed to the court, Suzanne and Keith Morrison share their grief, saying they feel a “confusion of emotions”.

Anger “seethes away down deep, whether you want it to or not”, they say, detailing how they play out “unalterable events, over and over and over” in their minds, “as if it could make any difference now”.

They also write about the impact Perry’s death has had on others, saying they often find Friends mementos, as well as flowers and notes and other tributes, left at his grave.

The star’s story “moved so many people”, they add. “And he wanted, needed, deserved a third act. It was in the planning. And then, those jackals.”

Perry was best known for playing Chandler Bing in Friends. Pic: Everett/ Shutterstock
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Perry was best known for playing Chandler Bing in Friends. Pic: Everett/ Shutterstock

‘This doctor conspired to break his most important vows’

Saying they find Plasencia’s actions “truly hard to understand”, they tell the judge: “I believe the man you are going to sentence today is among the most culpable of all…

“Why become a doctor? To cure the sick of course. To heal people. To save lives.”

Crimes can be easier to understand in some circumstances, they say. “Maybe in the heat of passion, or because that person makes one very bad decision… Or some drug dealer, bad to the bone, who takes the calculated risk of getting caught and spending many years in prison.

“But… a doctor? Who trades on respect, and trust? And not just one bad decision. No one alive and in touch with the world at all could have been unaware of Matthew’s struggles.

“But this doctor conspired to break his most important vows, repeatedly, sneaked through the night to meet his victim in secret. For what, a few thousand dollars? So he could feed on the vulnerability of our son.”

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Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

‘You don’t deserve to hear our feelings’

Addressing Plasencia directly in their statement, John and Debbie Perry say: “You don’t deserve to hear our feelings. How you devastated our family contributing to the loss of Matthew, our only son.”

They describe Perry as a “warm, loving man” and say his recovery counted on Plasencia “saying NO”.

Their letter continues: “Your motives? I can’t imagine. A doctor whose life is devoted to helping people?

“How long did you possibly see supplying Matthew countless doses without his death to eventually follow? Did you care? Did you think?”

Prosecutors are asking Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett to sentence Plasencia to three years in prison.

John and Debbie Perry have asked the court to extend the sentence beyond the mandatory period.

Ahead of sentencing, Plasencia’s lawyers have described him as a man who rose out of poverty to become a doctor beloved by his patients, and say his selling to Perry was “reckless” and “the biggest mistake of his life”.

In their sentencing memo, they say “remorse cannot begin to capture the pain, regret and shame that Mr Plasencia feels for the tragedy that unfolded and that he failed to prevent”.

However, they say Plasencia has already lost his medical licence and career, and a prison sentence is “neither necessary nor warranted”.

The other four people charged in connection with Perry’s death have also accepted plea deals and are due to be sentenced over the next few months.

They are: dealer Jasveen Sangha, also known as “the Ketamine Queen”, Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, another doctor, Mark Chavez, and Erik Fleming, an associate of the actor.

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Sabrina Carpenter hits out at ‘evil and disgusting’ White House video featuring her song

Published

on

By

Sabrina Carpenter hits out at 'evil and disgusting' White House video featuring her song

Sabrina Carpenter has hit out at an “evil and disgusting” White House video of migrants being detained that uses one of her songs.

“Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” the pop star posted on X.

The White House used part of Carpenter‘s upbeat song Juno over pictures of immigration agents handcuffing, chasing and detaining people.

It was posted on social media on Monday and has been viewed 1.2 million times so far.

President Trump‘s policy of sending officers into communities to forcibly round up illegal immigrants has proved controversial, with protests and legal challenges ongoing.

Mr Trump promised the biggest deportation in US history, but some of those detained have been living and working in the US for decades and have no criminal record.

Carpenter is not the only star to express disgust over the administration’s use of their music.

More on Sabrina Carpenter

Olivia Rodrigo last month warned the White House not to “ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda” after All-American Bitch was used in a video urging undocumented migrants to leave voluntarily.

Read more from Sky News:
Pope urges Trump not to oust Venezuelan president by force

Government delays Chinese ‘super embassy’ decision

In July, English singer Jess Glynne also said she felt “sick” when her song from the viral Jet2 advert was used over footage of people in handcuffs being loaded on a plane.

Other artists have also previously hit out at Trump officials for using their music at political campaign events, including Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, Ozzy Osbourne and The Rolling Stones.

Continue Reading

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