Key facts
- Misan Harriman will step down as chair of the Southbank Centre in autumn.
- Harriman confirmed his decision not to seek a third term in a social media post.
- The Southbank Centre stated Harriman had informed the deputy chair of his decision in January.
- Harriman's departure follows criticism over his social media posts concerning the Golders Green attack and election results.
- Supporters defended Harriman against a "smear campaign", while critics cited "crass" and "distasteful" remarks.
- Succession planning for the next chair is in progress.
Misan Harriman has announced he will not seek another term as chair of the Southbank Centre and will step down in the autumn. The decision comes after a month of intense pressure stemming from accusations that he shared a conspiracy theory related to the Golders Green attack. Harriman, who has chaired the institution since 2021, confirmed his departure in a social media post, stating that his decision to serve only two terms was made prior to the recent controversies. He praised the centre's board and highlighted recent successes such as Harry Styles’ Meltdown festival and Anish Kapoor’s exhibition. His departure follows significant scrutiny of his social media activity. Critics, including newspaper editorials, called for his resignation after he was accused of sharing a post questioning the coverage of a Muslim victim in the Golders Green attack, which critics argued risked downplaying its antisemitic nature. He also faced criticism for comments made after England's local election results, where he quoted Susan Sontag in a discussion about voter demographics. However, a group including Greta Thunberg, Tracey Emin, and Gary Lineker signed an open letter supporting Harriman, describing the media coverage as a "dishonest smear campaign." The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, received correspondence both condemning and supporting Harriman, with some parliamentarians suggesting a "smear campaign" aimed at fostering "cancel culture." Harriman filed a complaint with the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) regarding the coverage. A spokesperson for the Southbank Centre stated that Harriman had informed the deputy chair in January of his intention not to seek a third term and that his departure was unrelated to the recent "antisemitism" row. Succession planning for the next chair is reportedly underway.