A GB News commentator is taking legal action against a charity that provides internships exclusively for black and ethnic minorities, arguing that the scheme discriminates against white applicants. Sophie Corcoran, 24, claims she applied to the 10,000 Interns Foundation programme, which is run in collaboration with the Bar Council, in October while exploring a career in law.
The scheme offers six-week placements at legal organisations with a pay rate of £14.80 per hour, which Miss Corcoran described as 'a valuable opportunity to gain practical experience'. However, after her application was acknowledged, she received no further communication, leading her to believe she was rejected due to her race.
Miss Corcoran has launched a crowdfunding campaign with a target of £50,000 to cover estimated legal costs, but has so far raised only £3,000. She stated: 'My biggest issue with the black interns scheme is that it's not about serving disadvantaged groups; it's targeted purely based on skin colour. You could be disabled, from a single-parent family, or have attended a failing school. But to them, none of that disadvantage exists if you are white. You can only be disadvantaged if you are black.'
She emphasised: 'There is nothing unfair about letting hard work, talent, and merit dictate success. Your race should have nothing to do with it.' Her legal claim asserts that she has suffered a loss of employment opportunity as a white person and that the charity has violated the Equality Act.
The 10,000 Interns Foundation, established in 2020, places candidates with prominent organisations such as the Royal Academy of Arts, Bloomberg, and HSBC. The Bar Council, which represents 18,000 barristers, confirmed it has been 'served with a claim relating to the programme' and intends to 'vigorously' contest it.
