The MP for St Albans believes “justice has been served” in the George Floyd case but has urged against complacency, saying there is much work to be done to combat racial inequality.

A jury yesterday (Tuesday, April 20), delivered guilty verdicts against former police officer Derek Chauvin, meaning he could be sent to prison for decades, with sentencing to follow.

The 45-year-old was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter following a three-week trial in Minneapolis.

Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes last May, killing Floyd and sparking a global movement against racial injustice and police brutality.

Responding to Tuesday’s guilty verdicts, Daisy Cooper the Lib Dem MP for St Albans tweeted: “Guilty, guilty, guilty. #GeorgeFloyd suffered a brutal murder. Thankfully justice has been served. With other officers still facing prosecution, and racial inequality still rampant, there’s still a long way to go.

Quoting a Guardian article, she added: “’Medical experts told the jury that the weight on Floyd would have had the effect of “grinding and crushing him until the very breath, the very life, was squeezed out of him’. Justice has been served.”

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has led calls for ‘real change’ following the conviction.

Mr Khan tagged his Twitter post “#BlackLivesMatter” and said his “thoughts are with George Floyd’s loves” after Chauvin was found guilty.

“I welcome the verdict but by itself this won’t heal the pain of their loss, which reverberated around the world. The guilty verdict must be the beginning of real change – not the end,” the mayor added.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has also welcomed the conviction, telling Sky News: “Justice has been done. It is so important in situations like this, particularly when people feel the justice system has not served them in the past.”