Rightwing think tank Policy Exchange releases the 13th edition of its rolling compendium of historical developments under its History Matters project. In a foreword by the project chair Sir Trevor Phillips, he warns against ‘bogus reasons’ for ‘rewriting’ history: ‘mainly to present Britain as uniquely rapacious, violent and prejudiced’. On recent public votes on statues, monuments, and street names he also claims, ‘Almost without exception, the answer from the people has been: explain the thing better by all means, but please leave it alone.’

The Blackboy Clock is included as item 7. The item quotes Stroud District Council’s statement issued in light of Britain First’s campaign, in which a council spokesperson ‘wishes to clarify that there are no immediate plans to remove the Black Boy Clock and statue’.

Phillips is also appointed to a Heritage Advisory Board to guide the government in decisions on contested cultural history.