The Labour Group of Councillors on South Kesteven District Council are calling for Cllr Ian Stokes, who represents Peascliffe and Ridgeway ward, to consider his position as a councillor following the racist comment he made while chairing a Governance and Audit Committee.
District Councillor Charmaine Morgan Labour Group Leader said: ‘There can be no place for such comment in our society today.
“The important high profile roles held by Cllr Stokes, a former Mayor of Grantham too, make the comments even worse.
“There is something fundamentally wrong if he felt so emboldened he could say what he did. His comment was totally insensitive and derogatory to a group of people deeply impacted by the immoral, cruel, murderous and barbaric slave owners of the past.
“His terminology was that of the slave owners and a society which benefitted from and supported them.We have to ask what is happening in our country that he felt emboldened to say such a thing.
“I have discussed the matter with the council’s monitoring officer. The evidence is clear. What is less clear is what will happen next.
“The Conservative Party and Conservative Group Leader have considered his conduct. An SKDC investigation is taking place although the comment was publicly broadcast.
“However, under current law, whatever the outcome of the investigation, he will remain a councillor.
“Whether he should remain so is a matter for his conscience now.”
What a pompous, sanctimonious and inflammatory statement by Ms Morgan! Yes, the comment by Cllr Stokes was inappropriate by standards of the 2020s but is a reflection of the older style of speaking and figures of speech that people of that generation have been used to. It was not directed at any individual and Ms Morgan’s outburst smacks of her desperately trying to make political capital in a very inappropriate manner. A simple reminder to Cllr Stokes of the need to avoid certain references in these more sensitive times is sufficient, I think. Can I suggest that, instead of playing the race card, Ms Morgan attends properly to the basic duties of a District Councillor – actually replying to the questions and requests for help from residents in her ward. So far, 3/3 from me ignored! This would be benefiting (!) local people much more than her ridiculously strident outbursts …