Royal Courts of Justice response to Bernie Grant

About this item

This document is a letter dated 2 August 1989 from the Royal Courts of Justice responding to Bernie Grant MP's enquiry about material from the organisation 'English Solidarity.' It explains the legal assessment of potentially offensive publications and clarifies that no action will be taken under current hate speech laws. The letter sheds light on the legal and political challenges related to racism and hate speech in late 1980s Britain.

Key points:
– Bernie Grant MP wrote to the Royal Courts of Justice on 23 June 1989 regarding materials from 'English Solidarity.'
– The Crown Prosecution Service reviewed the materials for breaches of the Public Order Act 1986 and Malicious Communications Act 1988.
– Despite finding the publications offensive, the CPS concluded they did not violate the law.
– No further legal action was deemed appropriate in response to the materials.
– The letter was sent from the Solicitor General’s office on 2 August 1989.

Bernie Grant was a pioneering Black British MP known for his outspoken stance against racism and his advocacy for Black communities. This letter reflects the legal boundaries faced when addressing racist or hate speech, illustrating the broader context of anti-racist campaigning and political activism in the UK during the late 20th century.

Source note: The OCR transcript contains minor errors and incomplete text towards the end, but the main message and legal content are clear and have been faithfully represented.