Bernie Grant d. 8th April 2000. Anti-racist, socialist, beard wearer.
I’m not in London today but if I was I’d be making the short way from my Tottenham residence to the old Tottenham Town Hall today to pay respects at the plaque marking the life of one of the great post-1945 political figures, Bernie Grant.
He died 25 years ago today after a period as leader of Haringey Council and then Labour MP for Tottenham from 1987, one of the first four black MPs to be elected in the modern era.
There is no question that Bernie made a significant impact on Haringey politics and well beyond which continues 25 years on. He was the first black leader of an authority anywhere in Europe and while the example has been far too slow to be followed it was a landmark.
His fight against racism and opposition to the Thatcher Government when he was Council leader again set a template
I was Chair of Haringey Trades Union Council throughout the period that Bernie was Council leader and MP.
I recall particularly Election meetings where in those days we would invite the Labour candidate only to speak. Bernie was an inspiring and indeed an idiosyncratic speaker. Throughout the period he was pursued by the tabloid press (fortunately it was well before social media) and particularly the S*n who labelled him ‘Barmy Bernie’. We were always on the look-out for ill-intentioned types at these kind of meetings keen to twist an off-cuff the remark.
My connections do go rather wider. His brother was a trade union colleague in telecoms (as was his partner) and like myself a cricket fan, neither of us for England…
We have to accept I think that political figures like Bernie Grant come along only rarely in each generation. Remembering him 25 years after his death is important not least for the motivation it should give to continue the fight now. And it certainly does need continuing
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