Following a two-year dispute the Trinity Laban conservatoire in South London has reached a private settlement with Martin Speake, a former teacher of saxophone at the college who attacked critical race theory and the proposition that the UK jazz scene was systemically racist. The case prompted petitions for and against Speake and widespread press coverage, including in Jazz Journal. The settlement is bound by confidentiality, with no details available for publication, but Trinity published the following statement on its website on 17 February 2026, ahead of an employment tribunal set for May which will not now take place:
“Trinity Laban has reached settlement in the Employment Tribunal claims brought by Martin Speake. In his claims, Martin Speake identified that he holds the following beliefs:
A ‘woke’ or ‘critical’ theory approach to racism, as perpetuated by the organisation “Black Lives Matter”, is misconceived and harmful to society in that its belief in structural racism is divisive because it sees white people as a problem and that can result in unfair outcomes and incorrect conclusions (in particular it can lead to disadvantage for white people in the jazz industry and an erroneous conclusion that persons who are black are disadvantaged when they are not (which can lead to negative outcomes for such persons as well)).
The approach above should therefore be opposed and instead the approach of Martin Luther King, which desires a society where people are judged by the content of their character (or, with respect to the jazz industry, their musical ability) rather than the colour of their skin, and which emphasises what people of all races have in common (including, e.g., class disadvantage), should be adopted and perpetuated.
“Similar beliefs have been found to be protected in a previous employment tribunal case. Trinity Laban accepts that the email which Martin Speake sent to Trinity Laban on 6 February 2024 and in which he considered he expressed the beliefs set out above had no racist intent and that Martin Speake considers himself, and has done for all of his life, an anti-racist. Trinity Laban does not dispute either of those matters. It also acknowledges that discrimination against staff and students because they hold or appropriately manifest protected philosophical beliefs is unlawful.
“Trinity Laban continues to champion academic freedom and freedom of speech within educational institutions, and the steps taken by the government in this regard, including the introduction of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023.
“Trinity Laban is grateful that it and all HEPs now have clear guidance from the government on how to ensure everyone’s right to their academic freedom and freedom of speech. This enables Trinity Laban to ensure that future decision making adheres to this guidance. Trinity Laban acknowledges the hurt felt by Mr Speake, and that he has reported significant damage to his personal and professional life and wishes him well for the future. Trinity Laban condemns public attempts to unfairly vilify him.”
