Sir Keir Starmer

• A WEEK ago, Sir Keir Starmer gave an interview on the BBC regarding the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.

Sir Keir responded extremely controversially, refusing to countenance calls to discuss the reallocation of police resources, and stating that the BLM “…movement, or moment if you like, internationally is about reflecting something completely different and it is reflecting on what happened dreadfully in America just a few weeks ago…”

First, the BLM movement is more than just “reflecting” on the killing of George Floyd, whom Sir Keir neglected to name. It is about challenging and overthrowing systemic racism in the UK and US.

Second, this is more than a moment, as Sir Keir has belatedly acknowledged. Indeed BLM is both a statement of fact, and a philosophy.

Finally, Sir Keir stated that he had “no truck” with BLM “…about defunding the police or anything else…”.

It is extremely surprising that he would not want anything to do with what the “organisation” BLM proposes.

Structural racism is a feature of British society. It is a fact that BAME people are disproportionately killed by Covid-19.

It is a fact, as the Race Disparity Audit confirmed, that Asian and Black citizens are more likely to live in poverty.

It is a fact that policing, notably stop and search, disproportionately targets and punishes BAME people, especially young black men.

The scandals of Grenfell, Windrush and police officers taking selfies with murdered young black women illustrate clearly the role racism plays in our society.

Sir Keir must retract his statements about what the BLM movement is and isn’t and acknowledge the systemic racism that afflicts our society.

Sir Keir must also set out meaningful and concrete actions to deal with this structural racism.

It is time for Sir Keir to state that Black Lives Matter, now and always; that our world does not reflect this inalienable truth; and that he will commit every fibre of his being to fighting this contradiction.

On July 8 a version of this letter was sent to Sir Keir Starmer’s office, signed by 80 Holborn & St Pancras constituents.

PAUL HOLDEN
Address supplied