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David Lammy He has insisted that despite experiencing terrible prejudice while growing up, he does not believe Britain is a racist country and attacked those who “make us believe that we are more divided than we really are”.
writing specifically for Independent To mark black History MonthThe Justice Secretary described how as a young boy he was spat at because he was black, and said he was “terrified” of the skinheads who “patrolled our neighbourhoods, spreading their hatred”.
But he insisted that his experiences trying to tackle the divide had shown him that Britain is not a racist country and is instead a nation of people who are “determined to play our part in getting this right”.
Arguing that most people want to live in a “tolerant society”, Mr Lammy took aim at Improvement, Warned that the party’s worldview was contrary to the true spirit of Britain.
He highlighted comments made last weekend Reform MP Sarah Pochin, Those who told Talk TV that seeing black and Asian people in ads made them angry warned that such comments were becoming “normalised” and were a return to “blatant racism”.
While Ms. Pochin has apologized, Labor Ministers have said they are only sorry “for speaking loudly in silence”.
Mr Lammy said: “Most people want to live in a tolerant society and are disgusted by racist ideas.” Improvement MP Sarah Pochin said there were too many black and Asian faces in the ads. They realize the danger of such comments being normalized and stand with us against the return of such offensive ones. casteism,
He warned: “In Britain today, we can all feel the tug of division in our society. Some people would lead us to believe that we are more divided than we really are. They pit neighbor against neighbour, creating fear and stoking resentment. But they are wrong about our country.”
however, Deputy Prime Minister He noted how his own experience growing up in London showed him how British history and attitudes are “progressive” in nature.
He said: “I experienced [racism] As a young boy growing up in London, where the ugly face of partition could be seen on a daily basis. I was scared when skinheads patrolled our neighborhoods and spread their hatred on street corners and football terraces. On one occasion, I was talking about my business with my mother and sister when we were made fun of – just for being who we are.
“What I remember most clearly, however, are the people who stood before them. Volunteers of every race and background, standing shoulder to shoulder, refusing to be intimidated. Most of them were not politicians or activists – they were our neighbors and our friends.”
His article comes after a major effort by the Labor government to highlight the racist language used by Reform on issues such as the immigration debate, as Nigel Farage’s party holds a major lead in the polls.
But Mr Lammy insisted the Reform view of Britain was at odds with the reality of British history.
He said the spirit of civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. “is at the heart of the Britain I know and love – where decent people reject the lure of hatred and instead choose the path of unity.”
And he insisted: “Britain is a story of progress. And for generations, what has powered that progress is our neglected history of solidarity. During the American Civil War, mill workers in the North of England refused to handle cotton grown by enslaved people in the American South. They did so with the knowledge that it could cost them their livelihoods. Yet, they took a stand – seeing an injustice and saying: Not in our name.
He highlighted almost forgotten events such as the Bristol Bus Boycott of 1963, “when people of every background came together to support black and Asian people who were fighting being banned from taking jobs on local bus crews”.
He added: “During Black History Month, we celebrate the stories of Black Britons. Not separate from our national story but at its core. It is a story of courage and contribution, but also of solidarity and hope to make our country a better place.”
Mr Lammy played a major role in righting the wrongs of the Windrush scandal, in which people were wrongly deported in the 1950s and 1960s after the Home Office failed to keep their paperwork correctly.
He wrote: “When the great Windrush generation was invited to Britain after the Second World War, they faced hostility and racism. But they persevered and built lives here, while also helping to rebuild Britain. Solidarity was there from the beginning. Take the first Caribbean Carnival in 1959, which people of all colors and backgrounds helped to ground just a year after the Notting Hill riots.”
He highlighted black pioneers such as Bernie Grant, the first black MP, and Paul Boateng, the first black cabinet minister.
“They fought to break down doors so that people like me could walk through them easily. There was solidarity for them and for all of us, in the labor movement and beyond,” he said in a rally call.
“These stories about black Britons remind us that progress has never been automatic for the black community. Times have been tough. None of us have forgotten horrors, such as what happened to Stephen Lawrence. But there has been solidarity at every turn.”
Independent Feedback has been sought from Reform. Earlier this week, Mr Farage described Ms Pochin’s comments as “wrong and ugly”, but insisted he did not think they were intended to be racist.