Question
Following your social media posts incorrectly linking Black Lives Matter with the atrocious killings in Forbury Gardens do you accept that you have destroyed the trust and confidence of black, anti-racist residents and staff at WBC, failing in your duty to foster good relations and, some would say, inflaming racial division. As a result will you be considering your position?
Minutes:
Question
Following your social media posts incorrectly linking Black Lives Matter with the atrocious killings in Forbury Gardens do you accept that you have destroyed the trust and confidence of black, anti-racist residents and staff at WBC, failing in your duty to foster good relations and, some would say, inflaming racial division? As a result will you be considering your position?
Answer
I was as shocked and disgusted at the killing of George Floyd as any other right thinking person and it is my sincere hope that the world can change for the better as a result of the outcry it has produced.
I completely support the message, principles, and the aims of Black Lives Matter in the UK. I have always been opposed to discrimination in all its forms. I understand the need today to have a clear focus of tackling racism wherever it is found.
The senseless stabbings in Forbury Gardens underline the fragility of life. One of the victims was a very popular Holt teacher James Furlong. It is difficult to find words to console in such a dreadful circumstance. It is impossible to understand the motive for such actions.
None of my social media posts have linked Black Lives Matter with the killings in Forbury Gardens.
In case there was any possibility of a mistaken conflation, I posted a clarification immediately which stated: “I would like to make it clear that there is no suggestion that the Black Lives Matter march that afternoon had anything to do with what has now been described as a terrorist incident.”
Wokingham Borough Council is antiracist, promotes equality and celebrates diversity. We are determined to do better to ensure that every resident in the Borough feels truly valued. It will continue to do so whilst I am Leader.
We are undertaking a survey with our communities to listen to anybody who has experienced racism in any form as well as anybody with views on how this issue can be tackled. In particular the importance that Black Lives Matter. It is deliberately an open, listening exercise that acknowledges there will be problems we have not seen and answers we have not thought of. The survey is open throughout July and August and I urge everybody to take part.
I will not be reconsidering my position. This is an important community issue and I will continue to lead the Council on behalf of the communities, working with the independent BME Forum, and listening to staff and residents on their views on this vitally important issue. Working with Council Officers I will address the inequalities that are identified and I determinedly take forward our ongoing quest for community cohesion.
If any comments I have made have been offensive to anyone I apologise unreservedly; that was never my intention.Rather by reaching out, I hope to bring residents together. I fully support Nelson Mandela who said, “I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black or a white man”.
Supplementary Question
Sadly your answer and the things you say on equality feel pretty insincere and scripted. Apart from your comments at the previous Council meeting, saying that you would not support Black Lives Matter, and the social media posts in which you actually apologised in ‘Wokingham Today’ on 25th June acknowledging what you did was an entire mistake “I have done damage to myself and the Council”.
These things seem to reflect genuine sentiments a little more than the answer that you have given. The fact that you still believe that Black Lives Matter is about George Floyd’s death shows your lack of understanding or knowledge about the Human Rights’ Movement which was actually founded in 2013.
As the Leader of the Council which is apparently hardwired to promote equality if you are not prepared to reconsider your position what steps and commitment are you prepared to make today to better educate yourself, and your fellow Councillors, on these crucial and sensitive matters to ensure that your behaviour does not contravene the Councillor’s Code of Conduct again?
Supplementary Answer
I do not believe my conduct has contravened the Councillor Code of Conduct nor the Nolan Principles. I believe that there is another agenda. I reiterate where we are. As a Council we are antiracist, we promote equality and celebrate diversity and we will do our very best to make that happen.