Racism in Britain: what has changed since the Stephen Lawrence inquiry?

The 1999 Macpherson report into the investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence found the Met police to be ‘institutionally racist’. Now, 20 years on, David Lammy reflects on what has changed – and what hasn’t. Plus: Cornelius Walker looks ahead to his night at the Oscars

The Metropolitan police force will not reflect the ethnic diversity of London for at least another 100 years at the current rate of progress, according to its leaders. This striking claim comes 20 years after the force was branded “institutionally racist” in the landmark Macpherson report following the botched investigation into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. It also comes in a week in which a man was charged with spraying racist graffiti on the door of a family’s flat in Salford.

The Labour MP David Lammy was a teenager in London at the time of Lawrence’s murder and describes to India Rakusen his own interactions with police at the time. He has gone on to represent his home neighbourhood of Tottenham in parliament and says he has witnessed racism at every stage of his life.

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