In 1980s Britain, the media landscape was more diverse. In addition to the mainstream Fleet Street newspapers that we still see today such as The Times, The Daily Telegraph, and The Guardian, there were a plethora of local and independent newspapers with varying political leanings in circulation, including West Indian World, The Socialist Worker, The Socialist Challenge, and The Morning Star.

By comparing and contrasting these newspapers’ responses to the New Cross fire, inconsistencies and omissions surrounding the investigation begin to emerge. Similarly, there are a number of inconsistencies in the public, political, and media attitudes towards Black people in Britain.