Skip to main content

Open petition: Cancel the British Council’s Covid Debt Now

Created by Ian Daniel Kitching
Closes on

The British Council, seen as a cornerstone of UK global influence, is reported to be under threat from an unsustainable Covid-era debt which is driving cuts, instability, and loss of assets. We call on the UK Government to cancel this debt and protect its future.

The British Council supports education through teaching and exams, cultural exchange, and UK partnerships in over 100 countries. We believe a £197m Covid-era government loan is forcing cuts, job insecurity, the closing of some country operations and the sale of key assets. Covid was an extraordinary crisis, not mismanagement. We feel that cancelling the debt would protect jobs, safeguard vital services, and preserve a key UK global asset in an uncertain world.

Sign this petition

238 signatures


Petition progress

View all updates for this petition, with the most recent first.

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 30 December 2026.