BBC Documentaries

This Is Tottenham (2015x304)

: 02, 2015

In the 30 years since the Broadwater Farm riots, Tottenham has seen more than its fair share of national headlines, from the missed child abuse scandals of Baby P and Victoria Climbie to the shooting of Mark Duggan and the 2011 summer riots. This candid film shines a spotlight on the lives of those who live in Tottenham today. Viewers are given a front-row seat to watch one of the country's busiest MP surgeries in action, with behind-the-scenes access to the fortnightly advice surgery run by Tottenham's local MP David Lammy. Tottenham-born Lammy spent much of his childhood on the Broadwater Farm Estate, and experiences many of the challenges left in the wake of the riots 30 years on. His surgery deals with thousands of problems a year, never knowing what or who will come through the door next. There is Ruth, a heartbroken mother desperate to find out what has happened to her missing son Ambrose. His disappearance is causing tension between the local black community and the police. Then there is Kofi, a hard-working immigrant whose entire family is packed into a one-bedroom flat and whose wife is dying of liver cancer. Another visitor to the surgery is Shantel, a 22-year-old whose temporary residency status means she is not eligible for a student loan, even though she has been living here since she was aged nine. We also meet the unforgettable Koli, a funny and feisty young Muslim mum who is fighting for her son's life-saving operation and won't take no for an answer. From wrongful arrests to parking problems and immigration issues to regeneration backlashes, this one-off film showcases the extraordinary spirit of Tottenham's ordinary residents. It's a long, long way from Westminster.