SCORE

SCORE

As the European continent entered into a period of economic stagnation, high rates of unemployment and political uncertainty in the post-cold war era of the 1990s, racist and xenophobic sentiments became increasingly evident, at both the national and European level. In particular, the development of a more uniformly stern approach to non-European immigration remained a notable focus for the nations of the European Union, with significant events such as the 1990 Dublin Convention, the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, and the 1999 Treaty of Amsterdam, feeding into the approaches of national governments, such as the UK’s Immigrations and Asylums Act 1999. These legislative developments, and anti-immigration political rhetoric, had a large hand to play in the upsurge of racist attacks, such as the infamous 1992 days-long riot and petrol bomb attack on a hostel in Rostock, Germany, where Turkish asylum seekers were being housed, marking the largest racist incident in the country since WWII. Grant and his peers had for a long time aired warnings about this new regressive wave in European politics. Black Sections, for example, drew up a Statement Against Racism in which it pinpointed the racist remarks of political figures such as former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, and Margaret Thatcher who had complained of Britain being “swamped” by immigrants. In a Black Sections letter dating November 1991 which accompanied the Statement Against Racism, the group urged the need for a meeting on the matter, and an organised approach to tackling the dangerous, increasingly violent trend in racism.

SCORE announcement [BG_SC_6_3]

The document is a letter from Bernie Grant announcing the formation of the Standing Conference On Racial Equality in Europe (SCORE UK) in 1990, which aimed to unite over forty UK organisations to campaign for racial equality and combat discrimination against black and ethnic minority communities across Europe. It is useful for understanding Bernie Grant’s role in founding and leading coordinated efforts to address racial injustice at a European level, highlighting his commitment to grassroots activism and legislative change for minority rights.

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Outside of Black Sections, Bernie Grant worked on building a continental anti-racism movement broader than the Labour Party’s Black members and supporters. In 1990, Grant announced the creation of a new umbrella organisation called Standing Conference On Racial Equality in Europe (SCORE), in appreciation of the European Community’s anti-immigration sentiments in particular towards individuals arriving from Africa, Asia and the Caribbean to the European continent. At its outset, SCORE brought together over 40 organisations, to work together on providing information on the issues affecting Black and racially minoritized communities, promote the equality of condition for all within Europe regardless of heritage or nationality, or religion, and argue for legislation to ensure equal treatment under law. Having first launched SCORE in the House of Commons, with speakers including chairman of the Confederation of Indian Organisations Tara Mukherjee , the UK’s second largest city of Birmingham was then chosen to host the inaugural meeting of SCORE, on 24th November 1990, due to its notable Black and Asian population and political precedence.

Grant was sceptical of the benefits of the European Union as it pertained to the rights of African, Caribbean and Asian communities, stating “it is important that Black and ethnic minority people are aware of the pitfalls of a united Europe. What we must ensure is that Black, migrant and ethnic minority communities are not subject to racism and discrimination and the xenophobia that is now rearing its ugly head even more blatantly in Europe”. SCORE soon developed its own regular newsletter Scoreboard , and included writings from SCORE members such as Josephine Ocloo – also Vice Chair of the organisation, and included segments such as a news round up, information on upcoming events such as conferences by the Anti-Racist Alliance, activities by groups such as the Society of Black Lawyers, and relevant publications. In its 1993 edition, Scoreboard criticised Britain’s stint in Presidency of the European Community, pointing to the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill which proposed harsher checks on non-European migrants and asylum seekers for criminal backgrounds and records. In 1995, Scoreboard revealed that the SCORE Campaign For Free Movement in Europe was pursuing a challenge to the High Court, over border checks and controls toward migrants of member nations of the European Community. As SCORE argued, the challenge was intended to expose the UK’s controversial approach to border control, undermining the concept of “free movement” for the European community.

As chairman of SCORE, Grant often spoke on behalf of the organisation and spread awareness on the issues of racism in Europe. For example, Grant was invited to attend a Black History Month event at the University of Michigan, where he delivered a presentation entitled ‘The Resurgence of Racism in Europe’. He also travelled widely in Europe bringing together black politicians who had begun to appear in Portugal, France and Italy, and encouraging them and sharing his experience. Grant’s significant connections with the wider African diaspora aided SCORE and other European-based initiatives in bolstering greater awareness of the specific experiences of Black and ethnic minority communities wherever they may be, and stimulating discussion on building unity outside of national or even continental borders.

The Resurgence of Racism in Europe [BG_SC_8_1]

This document is a transcript of Bernie Grant's 1992 lecture, "The Resurgence of Racism in Europe," delivered during the University of Michigan's Black History Month events. It provides valuable insight into Grant’s leadership in anti-racist activism and his efforts to unite Black communities and other marginalized groups across Europe, highlighting the broader context of racism and political activism in his career.

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