Chloe Smith comments on the Black Lives Matter campaign

As Parliament holds silence this morning to honour the memory of George Floyd, I wanted to write here for constituents who have been in touch about Black Lives Matter.

 

Black lives matter.  Thank you to everyone who has shared their experience with me, and who has spoken out, written or followed the #BLM events in the city on Sunday.  I hope lots of people across Norwich have had a chance to read the profound written pieces from those events, like this by Danica Arthur-Asante.

 

This heightened consciousness of race issues must be seen as an important moment for change.  We can all work together to tackle racism and bring communities back together with the goal of peace and justice.

 

Like everyone, I was incredibly distressed by the footage of what happened to George Floyd.  And that anger and grief that we have seen in America is also keenly felt here in the UK.

 

The Prime Minister has responded for the UK in The Voice:  “In this country and around the world his dying words – I can’t breathe – have awakened an anger and a widespread and incontrovertible, undeniable feeling of injustice, a feeling that people from black and minority ethnic groups do face discrimination: in education, in employment, in the application of the criminal law.  And we who lead and who govern simply can’t ignore those feelings because in too many cases, I am afraid, they will be founded on a cold reality."

 

As you may know, British chief constables have come together in recent days to be absolutely clear that they too deplore racism. They are appalled by the way George Floyd lost his life. They state that they pledge to tackle bias and discrimination wherever it is found, and they welcome accountability.  Locally, I believe Norfolk Constabulary and its Norwich officers are hardworking frontline professionals of great integrity, and I am keen to hear any relevant experience of police and justice issues in our county.

 

There has been progress.  This Prime Minister leads the most ethnically diverse government in the history of this country, and Britain has made huge strides in race relations in recent decades.  I personally think that the work done on the Race Disparity Audit is an important step, because it allows data and evidence about ethnicity in this country to be added to people's own experience, and from there action can be taken to right wrongs.

 

But there's more to do.  For example, coronavirus affects people from BAME backgrounds disproportionately and that medical fight is still happening right now.

 

What's taught in schools is important too.  Schools can and should teach black history, and so parents and students in Norwich may like to ask their schools what more can be done.  There are important additional ways to highlight resources and be creative in getting these important topics across, such as Black History Month.  

 

Some have asked what I personally do to break down racism and proclaim that black lives matter.  I was proud to be invited to speak at Black History Month in Norwich and at the BME Youth conference, for which I received an award.  I have also regularly joined Filipino constituents at community events, listened to Muslim constituents at various meetings, and brought Chinese constituents to 10 Downing Street to represent Norwich at Chinese New Year.  More generally, I do my constituency work for everyone equally, so have naturally helped constituents of all ethnicities, religions and backgrounds without fear or favour.

 

As your local MP I want opportunity for everyone; that’s why I have focused on education and the best start in life for all Norwich children such as through the Norwich Opportunity Area whose youth board I instigated.  

 

As we look towards Windrush Day on 22 June, the day when 500 Caribbean migrants arrived in the UK in 1948 aboard Empire Windrush, the strength of feeling in the wake of George Floyd’s death serves as a reminder that work remains to be done. I am committed to improving the life-chances for people living in Norwich so we can make real changes together.

 

One friend, a woman of colour, recently said to me she was exhausted by having to keep explaining and calling out racism.  You might feel the same way.  Our goal must surely be that no one has to feel that way in future.