Roland Adams: summary of meeting with Adams family, May 1991

About this item

This document records a meeting held on 22 May 1991 between Bernie Grant, then Member of Parliament for Tottenham, and the Adams family, discussing the campaign following the death of Roland Adams. The meeting highlights Bernie Grant’s balancing act between serving his Tottenham constituents and advocating for Black British issues more broadly. It reflects challenges in addressing systemic racism and policing concerns within parliamentary and community contexts.

Key points:
– Bernie Grant clarified that as Tottenham's MP he is primarily accountable to his local constituents but also concerned with wider Black British and international issues.
– Grant explained the limits of his capacity given restricted time, staffing, and resources, making it difficult to engage personally in every Black issue.
– He criticized white MPs for failing to represent their Black constituents effectively and encouraged pressuring them to act.
– Bernie Grant committed to raising issues in Parliament, including attempting to ban a British National Party 'Rights for Whites' march in May 1991.
– The Adams family reported being ignored by their local MP, John Cartwright, highlighting frustrations with lack of political support.

The meeting occurred shortly after the racially motivated murder of Roland Adams in Tottenham, a pivotal moment in Black British political activism. Bernie Grant, a founding Black British Labour MP, used his position to challenge institutional racism and advocate against oppressive policing. This document reveals his strategic approach within Parliament and local government struggles to respond to racial justice campaigns.

Source note: The OCR text is mostly clear but includes minor typographical errors and some formatting irregularities, requiring cautious interpretation of parliamentary procedures mentioned.