The London Park, named after William Gladstone, could be renamed Diane Abbott Park as part of a slavery review by a Labor-led council in the capital. Gladstone Park in north-west London was named after the former Prime Minister in 1899. But now the name of London Park could be changed in 2022, after Brent’s council asked students aged five to 13 to find a short list of ideas for a rebrand. The name of Hackney Labor MP Ms Abbott is among the proposals, as are BAME Park, Multi-faith Park and Diversity Fields, according to The Telegraph. The project aims to address “injustice, prejudice and racism” in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. Brent’s council said Gladstone, who described slavery as “the most heinous crime”, was a “historical figure whose views on the slave trade are inadequate”. According to the newspaper, the council documents revealed that a video was shown to the students of the school. Dr Inge Dornan of Brunel University said: “The black community in Brent continues to be affected by inequality. “The council is discussing with the locals what we can all do to tackle injustice, prejudice and racism. “In this context, the people of Brent asked the council to consider renaming Gladstone Park. “This is because the Gladstone family has historically been involved in the transatlantic slave trade.”
