Gina Millier is Britain’s most influential black person according to the Powerlist publication
Controversial anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller was today named the UK’s most influential black person.
The 52-year-old millionaire led the legal challenge which forced Theresa May to consult Parliament before beginning the formal process of leaving the EU.
And today she came top of the Powerlist’s annual publication of the 100 most influential people of African or African-Caribbean heritage in Britain.
Businesswoman Mrs Miller has faced a campaign of abuse since leading the legal challenge and revealed last month that she is afraid to leave her home after thugs threatened to throw acid over her.
But she said: ‘It’s amazing to get an accolade when what I’ve done has solicited a huge amount of abuse.
‘To have somebody acknowledge me is extraordinarily kind and counters a lot of what I still get on a daily basis.’
Scotland Yard has issued at least eight ‘cease and desist’ notices to people who have sent her threatening messages.
And in July, Rhodri Colwyn Philipps, the 4th Viscount St Davids, was jailed for 12 weeks after suggesting someone should ‘run over’ the British-Guyanese campaigner.
Following her in second was Ric Lewis, chief executive of Tristan Capital Partners – while Ismail Ahmed, founder of money transfer company World Remit, came third.
Controversial Anti-Brexit campaigner Mrs Miller led the legal challenge which forced Theresa May to consult Parliament before beginning the formal process of leaving the EU
Also in the top ten were Ofcom chief executive Sharon White, Sheffield Hallam University professor of nursing Laura Serrant and Vogue editor Edward Enninful.
But Powerlist 2018 publisher Michael Eboda said: ‘Gina was a shoo-in this year for number one. Brexit is the most important political event to happen this century.
‘Gina’s role in ensuring the sovereignty of parliament was recognised by the courts, has been monumental and has set a precedent that will last hundreds of years.’
Editor Eva Simpson added: ‘Gina is a history maker and an inspirational number one. She has shown what can be achieved with single-mindedness and determination.’
The full 100 list will be revealed tonight at the fourth annual Powerlist Influencers Dinner at Drapers’ Hall in the City of London, hosted by TV presenter June Sarpong.
Previous Powerlist number ones include architect David Adjaye, former children’s laureate Malorie Blackman, Baroness Amos and last year’s number one, Tom Ilube.
UK’s most influential black people
1 Gina Miller Business owner and political activist
2 Ric Lewis Chief executive and chairman of Tristan Capital Partners
3 Ismail Ahmed WorldRemit founder
4 Sharon White Ofcom chief
5 Nira Chamberlain Professional mathematician
Also in the top ten were Ofcom chief executive Sharon White (left) and Edward Enninful (right), who became the first male editor of Vogue in its 101-year history
6 Jacky Wright HMRC’s chief digital and information officer
7 Sandra Wallace Managing partner at DLA Piper UK
8 Laura Serrant Professor of nursing at Sheffield Hallam University
9 Shirley J Thompson Music composer, visionary and cultural activist
10 Edward Enninful Fashion stylist editor-in-chief of British Vogue
Mrs Miller lives in London with her financier husband Alan, nicknamed ‘Mr Hedge Fund’ because he made £30million after starting one of the City’s first in 1997.
She launched the legal case with London-based hairdresser Deir Dos Santos and a small group of British expats who had crowd-funded their part in the legal process.
She said she felt compelled to act because the Brexit vote had ‘opened a deep vein of ugliness and bigotry’ and she worried about the future for her three children.
Mrs Miller was born in Guyana, where her father was the attorney general, but came to Britain to go to boarding school and has spent her adult life in the UK.
She has denied claims she is part of an ‘elite’ intent on wrecking Britain’s exit from the EU, but described the Government’s arguments in the legal battle as ‘ludicrous’.