Chuka Umunna · @ChukaUmunna
30th Dec 2015 from TwitLonger
My full statement on the Letwin/Booth 1985 Memo to PM Thatcher
"I grew up in Lambeth during the time of both Brixton riots. My mother was out shopping with me and my sister - we were both very young - in the middle of Brixton when the first bout of riots kicked off on 10 April 1981 and we quickly fled the area.
"The authors of this paper illustrate a complete ignorance of what was going on in our community at that time, as evidenced by their total and utter disregard of the rampant racism in the Met Police which caused the community to boil over - there is no mention of that racism in their paper.
"The attitudes towards the black community exhibited in the paper are disgusting and appalling. The tone of it in places is positively Victorian. People will draw their own conclusions but I hope the authors will feel thoroughly embarrassed and ashamed at what they wrote back then. At the very least they should apologise."