Petition · past parliament · Cabinet Office

Stop using the umbrella term BAME or BME to categorise all ethnic minorities.

Closed 1,317 signatures

What the petition asks

Despite the Government style guide saying not to use the umbrella categorisation of BAME or BME when writing about ethnic minorities, these terms still appear on gov.uk. Minority groups should have their own individual categorisation agreed through consultation with the groups concerned.
Different minority groups face different issues, challenges and have different needs. Lumping them together under one category does not help to distinguish which particular groups are disadvantaged or advantaged in differing situations.

Each group has a different lived experience and a one size fits all approach masks inequalities that exist for the different groups.

Describing each group individually would be fairer and allow for a more targeted approach in order to address inequality.

Timeline

24 Aug 2020 Petition opened for signatures
24 Feb 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 1,317
Status Closed
Department Cabinet Office
Opened 24 Aug 2020
Closed 24 Feb 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.