Black people of south london were simply not welcome at the Royal Festival Hall. It wasn't as much said – that they were not welcome – but forcefully implied. Mia Morris tells me as much of twenty five years ago and celebrates the change. “I can't stay away from here now” she says “it's my second home”.
Tonight we and the audience bask in the moonlit afterglow of an evening with Gary Younge on the launch of his book Who We Are. The event, hosted with skill by Badisha is the end result of a text message from Gary to myself some months ago. Here is where he wanted to be: The London Literature Festival at The Southbank Centre.
Tomorrow is the anniversary of the seven seven bombings. Britain is at war with Afghanistan. The English have reclaimed and regained the use of The St Georges Flag albeit after a successful campaign by the far right. Gary Younge's erudite book on identity is more important now than ever.