I, like you, was glued to the tv screens watching as the recent verdict on the George Floyd murder trial came through. I, like you, felt a sense of relief as the guilty verdict on all counts was read out. Justice had prevailed.

This verdict marks a moment in history that has reverberated across the world. It sends a clear message of accountability and that Black Lives Matter.

But make no mistake this is just the start, we still need to see profound change happen both in the US as well here in the UK.

Accountability may have prevailed for George Floyd, but in a system where there have been 15,000 killings by US law enforcement officers since 2005, but only 7 cases resulting in murder charges, much more needs to be done.

True justice now demands that we end systemic racism wherever we find it. Here at home, the UK Government’s shocking race report denied that institutional racism exists. This is testament to the fact that we need to bring about change here.

So as we reflect on this conviction, we must now redouble and strengthen our efforts in calling out and wiping out systemic and institutional racism wherever we see it.