| My legal hero: Sir Sydney Kentridge Member of Nelson Mandela's legal team who helped erode the legacy of Apartheid laws in South AfricaAs a young man, I was angry about all things legal. I grew up in Tottenham just a street away from the Broadwater Farm riots, and was involved in campaigns against the miscarriages of justice that convicted the Tottenham Three – who spent six years in prison after they were wrongly convicted of murdering a policeman. At university, my legal interests were channelled into protest: the campaigns for the retrials for the Birmingham Six, marches against the poll tax, the crowds on the steps of the Court of Appeal as the Guildford Four were released. I was also deeply suspicious of legal establishments. As a pupil barrister, I was led to the dock by a bailiff – on the assumption that the dock was where a young black man in a court belonged.There were, of course, legal iniquities of unimaginable magnitude going on elsewhere. I was nearly suspended from school for skipping classes to watch Nelson Mandela's release from prison on TV, and the disgraceful machinations of Apartheid South Africa were never far from my consciousness. But I thought politics was the only way to fight these injustices; I joined the Labour party at a time when the Federation of Young Conservatives wore badges declaring "Hang Nelson Mandela".Reading international law at the School of Oriental and Asian Studies in London was a wonderful experience. With its incredibly diverse student population, I began to immerse myself in the ways social, legal and political forces contribute to human rights and freedoms. But the law on the streets around me still seemed like something that got in the way of justice. One particular moment changed my view: the day I went to see my legal "sponsor" at Lincoln's Inn – Sir Sydney Kentridge.It's probably not a moment that Kentridge remembers today. Entering the office of the lawyer who represented the family of the anti-apartheid campaigner Steve Biko at the inquest into his death at the hands and boots of Apartheid police, and who was part of Mandela's legal team during his 27-year imprisonment, I was terrified. He straightened my cheap tie, and offered a few kind words of advice. I thought I'd experienced injustice taking disability benefits appeals with the Free Representation Unit: Kentridge learned his law fighting Apartheid security laws, constantly battling unsympathetic judges to secure basic human rights for black people.Others got angry, or weary. Kentridge, however, channelled his quiet, logical determination into creating a new legal establishment. After Mandela's release, South Africa's constitutional court, of which Kentridge was a member, began to use the law to attempt to eradicate the grave injustices of Apartheid and alleviate its massive socio-economic inequalities. South African constitutionalism today remains self-consciously transformational – explicitly harnessing the positive, constructive, enabling possibilities of law to try to create a good society.Another thing Kentridge taught me that day was one of his favourite quotes – Francis Bacon's insistence that "every man is a debtor to his profession". Kentridge is one of many lawyers to who whom I will forever be in debt, and whose everyday fights against injustice should inspire us all.David Lammy is Labour MP for Tottenham and the shadow minister for higher education. He qualified as a barrister in 1994Black History MonthNelson MandelaDavid Lammyguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
India beat England to second spot Saina Nehwal's badminton victory hands India second place in the medals table at England's expense as the Commonwealth Games end, with Scotland 10th, Northern Ireland 13th and Wales 15th. news.bbc.co.uk |
Snow falls in Yorkshire - In October! Snow in Yorkshire and blizzards in Scotland as winter came early. telegraph.co.uk |
Team Rowan goes off-message | Riazat Butt George Pitcher isn't like previous members of the archbishop of Canterbury's staff. Is Lambeth fully prepared?You don't need to be religious to be religious correspondent anymore than you need to be a criminal to be a crime correspondent. But what of a public affairs secretary? Should they be public? Our favourite blood-crazed ferret helps to raise the issue after exploiting a temporary collapse in the Times paywall to find a blog from George Pitcher, the now public affairs secretary for the archbishop of Canterbury, about how the BBC gave the pope an easy ride.Damian asks, "Is this what the archbishop thinks, too, George?" It would be entertaining and marvellous if he were speaking with his master's voice, but something tells me Lambeth Palace wasn't expecting its new public affairs secretary to be quite so public. Until Pitcher's appointment Team Rowan had no profile whatsoever. In George Pitcher, however, they have someone who is connected, opinionated, published and social. It would be a shame if Pitcher – who has delighted us with his insights on Aaqil Ahmed – were to retreat from public life entirely. On the other hand, a bolshier addition to the team might be just the tonic. For the Fleet Street God squad anyway.ReligionRowan WilliamsCatholicismChristianityPope Benedict XVIRiazat Buttguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Motorists warned to beware of sun's glare A road safety charity has warned motorists that glare from the sun creates more dangers than driving at night or in bad weather. telegraph.co.uk |