Keir Starmer responds to criticism of Black Lives Matter ‘moment’ comments

The leader of the Labour Party doubled down on his opposition to defunding the police, calling for more investment in law enforcement

Keir Starmer has been under fire for failing to properly condemn anti-black racism in the Labour party (Picture: Getty)

LABOUR LEADER Keir Starmer has sought to clarify controversial comments he made about the Black Lives Matter movement, telling The Voice that he meant now is a “turning point”.

Speaking today, Starmer said: “What I meant by a moment was a defining moment or a turning point.

“If I’ve heard anything in the last few weeks and months that has been sort of loud and strong and clear it’s that the Black Lives Matter movement and the emotional coming together that’s happened in the last few weeks and months has to be a turning point.”

Starmer added: “Now that many more people across the world have actually recognised and acknowledged the injustice, we’ve got to do something about it and I don’t think there’s anybody who hasn’t said we need a turning point, we need a moment, we need a defining moment and it was in that sense I meant it’s got to be a moment in which we come together, recognise things have got to change – and change them.”

During the interview with BBC Breakfast, former director of public prosecutions Starmer, labelled Black Lives Matter UK’s calls for defunding of the police as “nonsense”.

He said: “I have no problem at all with further funding for education, mental health, housing, you name it.”

Referring to his time as director of public prosecutions, Starmer said he always supported funding support services including schools and mental health providers to reduce people from entering the criminal justice system.

But he doubled down on his opposition against defunding the police by calling for more funding to be directed to law enforcement.

“As far as the UK is concerned, I also think we need more funds for our police,” he told The Voice.

He added: “I do think our police have been underfunded. If I look at the position in my own constituency in Camden, we’re crying out for more police officers because we’ve lost police officers over the years and we’ve had terrible incidents of knife crime etc and all of our communities are saying, ‘for heaven’s sake’ put more resources into your policing.”

He did recognise that “policing is not the complete answer” because “policing without the support into mental health, education, health generally is never going to be the complete answer”.

Speaking to The Voice on Tuesday, Labour MP for Leicester East Claudia Webbe, described Starmer’s reference to the movement as a moment as “disgraceful”.

“This is not a moment,” she said.

Webbe added: “It is wrong to be dismissive of the Black Lives Matter movement. It is far from a moment in the same way that Martin Luther King created a groundbreaking civil rights movement Black Lives matter movement is a powerful force for change.”

On Monday, following Starmer’s appearance on BBC Breakfast, Bell Ribeiro Addy tweeted: “#BlackLivesMatter isn’t just a moment, it’s a movement.”

Black Lives Matter said: “When we say ‘defund the police’ we mean ‘invest in programmes that actually keep us safe like youth services, mental health and social care, education, jobs and housing. Key services to support the most vulnerable before they come into contact with the criminal justice system’.”

Comments Form

3 Comments

  1. | Chaka Artwell

    The “moment” has arisen for the 65 percent of African and Caribbean and Dual-heritage voters who unconsciously vote Labour to stop.
    Sir Kier Starmer, the new Labour Leader no-longer deserved the uncritical Votes of England’s African-skinned Voters because Sir Kier Starmer does not give our campaign to end colour discrimination and racism the same value and status he reserves for Jewish Voters; LGBTQIA Voters and middle-class women Voters.
    Sir Kier Starmer would NEVER describe the concerns of Jewish Voters as a “moment.”
    Well, Sir Kier Starmer, this is the “moment” Oxford African Caribbean Conversation asks England’s African heritage people not to give their vote or their energy at election time, to your Labour Party; which clearly has no authentic support for issues which produce unemployment: police violence; judicial discrimination and racism against England’s African-skinned Subjects.
    Additionally Sir Kier Starmer, you apologised on becoming the leader of the Labour Party for hurting the feelings of your Jewish Voters.
    Where is the apology for Labour’s assistance with starting the policies which resulted in the illegal exiling of English Subjects of Caribbean heritage in 2018?
    Do you not consider Parliament’s “moment” of injustice against Caribbean-heritage people worthy of an apology?

    Reply

  2. | JoCo

    “Moment” is from the same family of words as “Momentous”. It seems pretty clear and obvious from the context that this is what Starmer meant.

    “Momentous describes an important event or moment in time. It is used for a time of great consequence or for a major accomplishment, and is almost always reserved for good things.”

    https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/momentous

    Reply

  3. | Ceri Buckmaster

    oh dear .. Keir Starmer demonstrating poor listening. People are talking about defunding the police … the useful question is .. Why are people talking about this? What is important to people? why is this being raised? Not … ‘This is nonsense.’ Very disappointing Keir Starmer 🙁

    Reply

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