With 3.6% of the County’s population being ‘born in Scotland’ two and a half times more people than those who recognise themselves as being part of our Black and Ethnic populations, a Scotophile motion calling the possibility of separation from the UK union as a threat that is designed to appoint leading Conservative councillors to steer the population against an anti-brexit population dwelling on the North side of the Border, has been submitted to become Council policy. The historian within our ranks believes that although spies operated on behalf of England in Scotland during the various Jacobite periods and during the English Civil War its thought that members of Councils and local dignitaries have not ‘kept and eye’ on the Scots since the 1680’s. There's also a motion from an administration who this year stopped its holocaust services on supposed cost grounds to re-affirm its condemnation of all forms of racism and hate crime, singling out Anti-Semitism.
In January 2017 the Council accepted a policy on Equality that was designed to clearly state the Councils position with regard to both Communities and Staff so why have Northumberland Conservatives singled out Anti-Semitism if not for political purposes.
Reading Northumberland’s accepted and well supported policy and if re-affirmation was required then why has Islamaphobia or the bullying of women not been singled out, two issues the Tories have been painted with both nationally and locally Is it because they can’t blame Jeremy Corbyn for it. Or is it simply because the Leader of Council, Peter Jackson has the largest ethnic minority groups and the most single women living in his ward of Ponteland South with Heddon? A ward that the dreadful planning episodes and costs to the Council taxpayers to protect Councillor Jackson from his fortunes being exposed to litigation runs as a fiefdom.
Even some of the most zealous Conservatives surely can’t support these motions without asking questions about this Tory Councils stance on equality in general, with the high profile Amber Rudd accusing the Tories nationally of ardent bullying among others and the stance they are taking by accepting these ‘old fashioned’ motions onto their agenda will certainly cost the Tories votes both in Berwick and Hexham where their positions are weakening daily.
The noise from their own membership and supporters on these issues and the acceptance of them as being ‘Valid Motions’ should surely make removal from the agenda essential and we the laymen wish to ask, are these motions ‘Hate crimes in their own right’?.
https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/NorthumberlandCountyCouncil/media/About-the-Council/equality/Equality-info-report-Jan17.pdf
