Mr Hawkes I see the Mail now has a paywall, so I can't read that article, but I'm extrapolating one presumably has to separate the Mail's support of the Lawrences' campaign for justice from the alleged acquisition of private data? I can imagine but, true, I can't be sure, they're different departments but anyway I'd imagine over time personnel change and have different motivations? Pity the full article isn't available for me to read.As I said, I'm not that bothered by the ruling, just interested in the legal system ignoring the criminal activities of private investigators to illegally obtain confidential information. I guess if Elton John and his husband, and Prince Harry are involved in this case they have the funds to support it - that's their business not mine.Obviously, any race can be racist, and historically I suppose the British have a track record of open discrimination: remember the appalling "No blacks, Irish, dogs" accommodation adverts of the 1950s and 60s? (It also negates the idea the British are animal lovers?) Actually, it persisted after then; in the 1970s I knew a couple of white people brought up in the West Indies who, as soon as they phoned up for a flat advertised in the newspapers were told, on hearing their West Indies accents, it "was gone" but if their UK friend, one of my colleagues, phoned they were invited for a viewing.So, I agree, it's not a binary (black and white!?) issue as usual, but in this case, as I understood it, we were discussing Baroness Lawrence. Whataboutery on your part?I guess "Institutional racism" means that the culture, policies and processes of an organisation are biased for or against particular races. What's your definition?Yes, authorities have made major errors in certain cases. Perhaps that's because of poor police leadership, low morale, etc as highlighted in the report by Lords Blunket and Herbert? We also have to consider some of the police haven't been properly vetted and have themselves been rapists, abusers and even murders of women. But that wasn't part of the original discussion. I've worked with many who have roots in the Indian subcontinent and West Indies, and elsewhere without issues: they've contributed significantly to my IT teams' achievements and appear good family people. So perhaps we need to be careful of demonising the good, well behaved, majority by the bad actions of a few - whether that's immigrants or the police?
Michael Ixer ● 20d