Downing Street have refused to say if Boris Johnson supports the Black Lives Matter movement, despite the Queen and other royals reportedly doing so.
Sir Ken Olisa, Lord-Lieutenant for London and is one of Her Majesty’s representatives, said last night the monarch supports the movement.
Speaking to Channel 4, he said: “I have discussed with the royal household this whole issue of race particularly in the last 12 months since the George Floyd incident.
“It’s a hot conversation topic. The question is what more can we do to bind society to remove these barriers.
“They [the royals] care passionately about making this one nation bound by the same values.”
Asked if the palace support BLM, Sir Ken said: “The answer is easily yes.”
But questioned today, Downing Street repeatedly refused to say if the Prime Minister supports the movement.
Asked if he supports the campaign, a No10 spokesman replied: “He’s been asked this question himself before, and he’s spoken about the fact he’s proud the UK is a tolerant and diverse country.”
Asked if he was pleased about the Queen’s backing, the spokesman replied: “That is a matter for the Palace.”
Mr Johnson and other senior Tories have repeatedly refused to offer the movement their backing when asked in the past.
Last year Tory MP Sajid Javid, now Health Secretary, said: “I distinguish between the Black Lives Matter movement and the fight for racial justice.
“I’m not sympathetic to the actual organisation, Black Lives Matter. I think it’s a sort of neo-Marxist organisation that wants to overthrow capitalism and get rid of the police.
“I think the organisation itself is not a force for good.”
Last summer he said “we are all right to say black lives matter” but immediately switched to condemning a minority of protesters breaking Covid rules at the time.
He added: “It is BAME communities who have been at the forefront of the struggle against coronavirus – whether in health care or transport or social care or any of the other essential services that have kept our country going.
“And it is BAME communities, tragically, that have paid a disproportionate price.
“So no, I will not support those who flout the rules on social distancing, for the obvious reason that we risk a new infection at a critical time and just as we have made huge progress.
“And no, I will not support or indulge those who break the law, or attack the police, or desecrate public monuments.
“We have a democracy in this country. If you want to change the urban landscape, you can stand for election, or vote for someone who will.”
Does Boris Johnson support Black Lives Matter? Full exchange with Downing Street
Does the Prime Minister support the Black Lives Matter campaign?
“He’s been asked this question himself before, and he’s spoken about the fact he’s proud the UK is a tolerant and diverse country.”
Sorry, that’s not the question. Does the Prime Minister support the Black Lives Matter campaign?
“Again, he’s said himself before he’s always supported the rights of people to peacefully protest and make their feelings known.”
So you can’t say whether he supports the campaign?
“I’m saying what he said himself - that he supports the right of people to make their feelings known about injustices.”
Is the Prime Minister pleased the Queen supports the Black Lives Matter campaign?
“That is a matter for the Palace.”
So just to be clear, the Queen supports the Black Lives Matter campaign but you can’t say whether the Prime Minister does?
“I’m saying what the Prime Minister said, I’m pointing you back to what he’s said previously, that he’s always supported the right for people to peacefully protest and make their feelings known about injustices.”
