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Racism in Lambeth and Brixton

Lee Japser

Lee Japser

Well-Known Member
I am wanting to open discussions about racism in the borough and also offer a thread that can be a place where people can find out examples of racism and resistence in one place. Lambeth has the highest rates of racial inequality in London according to research done by the Runnymede Trust a race equality think tank. Despite this the Council has refused to accept the findings and have no strategy to reduce racism in Lambeth. I find this unacceptable. I have posted the report so have a look. In the meantime I'll be posting incidence of racism in the borough and highlighting initiatives.

Runnymede Trust / Ethnic Inequalities in London: Capital For All
 
Race and race-related issues in Lambeth are not featured on here quite as much as they used to be. Neither are incidents relating to youth violence - there used to be discussions about what drove youth violence and criminality, unless I've missed them, there's not as much evidence of them as there used to be. That's not a criticism of Urban or the Editor, its just the way it is at the moment.
 
This is from the shorter version of the report:

"Furthermore, some of the ‘expected’ results
are not as obvious as they might appear on first
inspection. For example, is Lambeth’s higher
relative ranking of ethnic inequalities in 2011
compared to 2001 due to ethnic minorities
doing worse, or because better-off White British
residents have moved in during this period? The
issue of ‘gentrification’ or of local people being
excluded from housing regeneration, new business
opportunities or indeed new cafés, pubs or forms
of leisure, is familiar north and south of the river,
from Hackney and Haringey to Lambeth and
Greenwich. Local planners and politicians need to
do more to ensure the benefits of regeneration or
gentrification flow to all of a borough’s residents."


As can be seen from the Network Rail planning application benefits are not flowing to all residents. At the planning committee to decide on NR application the Council's own legal officer stated at the meeting that there was an issue of race which committee should take account of in there decision.None on the committee took this up or asked for further advice from there own officer on this.So it's good the report raises this issue.
 
shygirl said:
Race and race-related issues in Lambeth are not featured on here quite as much as they used to be. Neither are incidents relating to youth violence - there used to be discussions about what drove youth violence and criminality, unless I've missed them, there's not as much evidence of them as there used to be. That's not a criticism of Urban or the Editor, its just the way it is at the moment.
Click to expand...

At the Lambeth Council "Equalities Commission" meeting recently, the keynote speaker (C. Umunna MP) and the Lambeth "great and good" expressed a lot more interest about placing more BMEs in senior positions, than they did in addressing other inequalities and inequities such as the disparity in employment rates between BME and white youths; differential policing and youth justice outcomes; differential sentencing (especially by magistrates) or the gaping chasm between life chances according to membership of social class.
 
shygirl said:
Any discussion needs to include poor, White working-class and Somalis in Lambeth, groups that have been under-achieving educationally for years and that often live in really poor housing.
Click to expand...

The Runnymede Trust report is good as far as it goes, but it's already over a year old, and uses data that's even older at a time when problems and issues have fractured more widely along class as well as "race" lines. That pretty much means that ALL under-achieving groups in the overall demography of the borough are fucked. Non-inclusivity, complete lack of resources and no political will at Town Hall level (surprise, fucking surprise) means the only way shit will get done is through communities making shift for themselves.
 
Athos said:
Lee Japser, in terms of that material inequality, so you think poor black people have more in common with poor white people, or with wealthy black people?
Click to expand...

An anecdote.

I was chatting with a Nigerian guy who hangs about a shop I use. He was complaining about the rich Nigerians he sees in London. Who come here to spend the money they have looted from his country.He loathed them.He didn't have anything in common with them.So no not all Black people feel they have much in common with wealthy Black people.

On the estate near me I get the impression that the Black working class feel they are in the same boat as the White working class re being stuffed by this government .

What the report is showing that in certain areas the Black working class do worse. I'm no expert on use of statistics so am taking that as correct .
 
The report also says:

"More generally, this report outlines ethnic inequalities
in London, not ethnic disadvantage. While there
remain significant concerns about the higher levels of
child and in-work poverty among all ethnic minority
groups, this report indicates why we should also
care about inequalities."

Reports like this are written an anodyne "neutral" language.What I think this is saying is that class is an issue. I don't understand what they mean by a difference between "disadvantage" and "inequality".If someone can explain that.

So in plain language the report is saying if you are working class you are getting shafted. If you are Black and working class you are getting shafted even more.

The report is not saying that Councils should just have policies on inequalities due to race.
 
shygirl said:
Race and race-related issues in Lambeth are not featured on here quite as much as they used to be. Neither are incidents relating to youth violence - there used to be discussions about what drove youth violence and criminality, unless I've missed them, there's not as much evidence of them as there used to be...
Click to expand...
Why would these issues be of any interest or concern to Brixton's ethnic majority and / or the people who use this messageboard?
 
GarveyLives said:
Why would these issues be of any interest or concern to Brixton's ethnic majority and / or the people who use this messageboard?
Click to expand...

I did think that I'd kinda hijacked the thread, which was about racism in Lambeth, but it was the equality graphs that threw me off course. Looking at them, I thought of the groups affected by inequality in Lambeth. That said, Lee has started a thread about racism experienced by BME people in Lambeth, and that's what it should remain.

So, sorry for the derail :).
 
GarveyLives said:
Why would these issues be of any interest or concern to Brixton's ethnic majority and / or the people who use this messageboard?
Click to expand...

Why wouldn't some of the issues facing BME communities in Lambeth NOT be of interest or concern to 'Brixton's ethnic minority'. As you well know, its a very real issue within the Africani-Caribbean community, and methinks you're just being mischieveous. Else why have we attended so many meetings about this issue, why would there be Trident IAGs, working groups between community reps and police, attendance at Gold Group meetings to look at community concerns following murders, and so on and so forth? Let's try to be serious, eh.
 
Lee Japser said:
I am wanting to open discussions about racism in the borough and also offer a thread that can be a place where people can find out examples of racism and resistence in one place. Lambeth has the highest rates of racial inequality in London according to research done by the Runnymede Trust a race equality think tank. Despite this the Council has refused to accept the findings and have no strategy to reduce racism in Lambeth. I find this unacceptable. I have posted the report so have a look. In the meantime I'll be posting incidence of racism in the borough and highlighting initiatives.

Runnymede Trust / Ethnic Inequalities in London: Capital For All
Click to expand...

I hadn't heard that the council hadn't accepted the report (and I'm not sure on what grounds they couldnt... the data seems solid) - what was their response?
 
Is it really wise to make a big thing about the colour of his face in an anti-racism demo?

Maybe it would be better to focus on his actions rather than his appearance.
 
teuchter said:
Sigh. Yes. I think focusing on anyone's appearance when making objections to their actions is weak though.
Click to expand...
The way the Pres is got all mixed up with Sweden and the attrocity in Sewhan, where 75 people were blown up and killed in Pakistan, pushes the limits of American ignorance about anything outside their country however.
But I doubt whether banning him from Parliament serves any purpose. Let the MPs hear it for themselves first hand no spin.
 
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