London (CNN) "Crazy Rich Asians" star Gemma Chan and David Oyelowo, who played Martin Luther King Jr. in "Selma," are among the 220 campaigners and actors calling for a historic figure from an ethnic minority background to feature on Britain's next banknote. This comes as the Bank of England decides who should feature on its new plastic £50 note. In a November press conference , Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney said the note would celebrate UK's scientific achievements and called for nominations that would "celebrate the diversity of UK society and highlight the contributions of its greatest citizens." In spite of ethnic minority communities representing 14% of the British population "no one from an ethnic minority has yet featured on a banknote," campaigners wrote in the letter published in the Sunday Times"We do not lack candidates, and arguably their achievements were the greater for having been made at a time when many careers and were effectively closed to them through colonial rules, racism or the legacy of slavery," the letter added. "Changing this would send a message that the contribution of ethnic minorities to Britain's history, culture and economy is recognized and valued."

Source: CNN December 16, 2018 10:30 UTC