Tag Archives: notting hill carnival

Do Black Lives Matter to the Liberal Democrats?

By John Armah | Tue 26th May 2026 - 11:15 am

May 25th marked the sixth anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. His death sparked a global conversation on race that I, like many, hoped would result in serious, systemic change. After the platitudes around black squares, the meaning of taking the knee and the rather depressing debate that followed, it is time for a different debate. What change has actually occurred and how do we as Liberal Democrats play an effective part in delivering systemic and lasting progress?

Rob Blackie and Roderick Lynch powerfully outlined how poor our performance was in inner London in the recent elections and, if we’re honest, in wider metropolitan areas across England, Wales and Scotland. Our cities are the youngest, most diverse and liberal parts of our country. The multicultural, multiracial team in Brent scored our greatest success in London and are now the official opposition. Frankly as a Liberal Democrat Party, we’ve seen years of hard work by urban local parties be submerged by a Green wave powered by a strong national message and an active social media presence.