Rural parts of the UK have recently been described as ‘colonial’, predominantly white spaces, where members of ethnic minorities feel unwelcome, sparking a debate about whether the countryside is racist.

Data shows that the rural population is 97% white, much more so than in towns and cities, so might that be an explanation for some people feeling out of place? Why has a prominent museum rehung some of its paintings, adding context about the nationalist sentiment some of them might evoke? And how did this debate start in the first place? We track its evolution and the contested evidence at the heart of it.

Previous report.