News

Susannah Mengesha, contributing author of Netpol, a coalition of community and activist based support groups which monitor police activities and challenges practices which may be unlawful, excessive or damaging to society writes about the recent raids on Britain's Traveller communities.

Warsan Shire was announced this month as the first ever Young Poet Laureate for London. Chosen from six young finalists, the 24-year-old poet was born in Kenya to Somali parents and grew up in London, where she still resides.

When a young Felix Dexter arrived in London from St Kitts at the age of seven, it would have been a scary and daunting prospect. What did a young black kid make of England in 1968, the year Enoch Powell made his “Rivers of Blood” speech?

London mourns the passing of one of its inveterate activists in the struggle for social liberation and against racism in schooling and education. Jessica Huntley, co-founder and director of Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications and bookstore in West Ealing, passed away at Ealing Hospital on Sunday morning, 13 October, following a short illness. She was 86 last February.

The Immigration Bill being forced through Parliament has been described by one MP as ‘the most racist piece of legislation I have seen’ in his 16 years as an MP.

Britain’s diversity is a real strength, migrants have played an invaluable part in making the UK a fantastic place to live. The contribution made by immigrants in the UK has been enormous economically, socially and culturally. Migrants don’t come here to use the NHS, they come here to work in the NHS!

The Bill proposes:

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, WESTMINSTER, LONDON SW1A OAA
Weds Oct 23rd 2013, 10:00 - 13:00

Discussion on the impact, importance, patterns and relevance of votes cast by UK citizens of African/Caribbean & other BAME heritage

The Runnymede report about letting agencies discriminating against African and Caribbean people, along with a undercover sting the BBC set up to expose a number of London agencies, sets off a number of worrying alarm bells, including the fact that number of Asian businesses appear to a discriminating against Black people.

The BBC undercover investigation revealed that a number of agencies were deliberately telling Black people that the property had gone when it clearly hadn’t.

It must have been a dramatic moment at the High Court during the inquest into the death of Mark Duggan when an eye witness -only known as Miss J- gave evidence in regards to the immediate aftermath of the Mark Duggan’s shooting.

On Tuesday the officer who shot Duggan swore on oath that Duggan had taken the gun and raised his arm in a manner that would indicate he was going to fire the gun.

What do a former Government Cabinet member Andrew Mitchell and a London gang member, Mark Duggan have in common? Answer: On the same day officers of the Metropolitan police have been accused of collective fabricating, lying and tampering with evidence against both individuals.

Mark Duggan having been shot dead by a Met office clearly has no voice in regards to the last minutes of his life. However, the evidence against the Met is so damning, so alarming that Black people in particular will have even less confidence in our police force than before.

It is with alarm that we are witnessing the development of increasing hostility, xenophobia, discrimination and intolerance towards immigrants.

We are gravely concerned at the tone of public discussion about immigration which is contributing to a climate of hostility and fear. Government, the Opposition and other political parties are directly participating in a race to the bottom in this regard.