How George Floyd’s legacy can change the world – Ian Murray MP

Those responsible for George Floyd’s death need to be held accountable but, more importantly, the issue of racism in our institutions and society must be confronted, says Ian Murray.

Ian Murray is the Labour MP for Edinburth South (Picture: Ian Ruthrford)

The pictures being beamed into our homes from the United States over the last few days would have shocked us all. They have shone a powerful light on racism in the US and here in the UK.

The abhorrent killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis at the knee of a police officer was another deplorable episode in the history of American race relations.

The litany of names of those that have been killed are strewn through recent history. Here, the racially-motivated murder of Stephen Lawrence was a partial turning point. Will the brutal suffocation of an unarmed black man be the defining moment that has too often been squandered in the US?

Posters and placards expressing anger at the death of George Floyd on railings outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh (Picture: Lisa Ferguson)

The demonstrations, and largely peaceful protests that have followed, represent simmering anger over too many high-profile cases in recent years, each with circumstances that had many people demanding police and political accountability that, in most cases, never came.

That lack of political accountability has been most apparent by the way Donald Trump has reacted. No empathy, no acknowledgement of the anger, no leadership. Trump has exacerbated racial division and exploited it at every turn. A Democratic Senator summed it up when he said: “The racist speech Trump just delivered verged on a declaration of war against American citizens. I fear for our country tonight.”

To use excessive force by firing tear gas and rubber bullets (we have called for the UK to stop supplying them) while arresting journalists and sending in the National Guard is a dereliction of duty.

But silence is complicit and the Prime Minister, not a stranger to his own racist remarks, has been all but silent on this issue too. Not so the thousands of constituents who have contacted me in the last few days who want to express their solidarity and have their voices heard.

It still chills me to see the racist demonstrations that take place in Scotland. I have always attended the counter anti-racism marches organised by United Against Fascism in Edinburgh and voiced my unconditional support in the fight against racism and discrimination. I’m also an active supporter of Show Racism the Red Card. These are ways to express our voices, but cultural change must start at the top.

As a white man, I fully acknowledge that I will never be able to fully understand the racism and oppression that black communities face, but that makes it even more important to listen and learn from those lived experiences, to stand against the violence, aggression and discrimination faced by communities, and respond in both words and actions.

I’m proud to sit on the green benches of parliament with many black colleagues who bring their experiences and voices to parliament. Their advice and knowledge help us all to understand. We stand alongside all those in the US and across the world who are horrified by the way George Floyd lost his life. We must stand in solidarity against racism in all its forms. Yes, those responsible need to be held accountable and justice must be done, but, much more than that, the issue of racism in society must be confronted.

The 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida and the decision to acquit his killer led to the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement. The movement is pleading for protestors not to rise to the provocation from the President but express their anger through the ballot box.

The brother of George Floyd said, “I don’t want to see his name on a T-shirt like the others” and called for peaceful protests. He is right. We don’t want to see some use this as a veil for violence.

Let’s all act collectively to eradicate racism from our institutions and wider society. That is the proper lasting legacy for George Floyd and all the others who have lost their lives unnecessarily.

Ian Murray is the Labour MP for Edinburgh South

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