Council’s two bosses defend their support for Black Lives Matter
A LOCAL authority’s chief executive and its leader have defended their actions supporting the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement after a councillor criticised them.
A Conservative member of Calderdale Council, Coun Sophie Whittaker, has been highly critical of the movement and the authority’s support of it.
Coun Whittaker has called on the council’s chief executive Robin Tuddenham and its Labour leader Coun Tim Swift to say they were wrong to support the movement, which she claims is Marxist, and urged the council to distance itself from it.
Calderdale Council illuminated one of the district’s landmarks, Wainhouse Tower, by lighting it up purple in support of BLM last month.
Mr Tuddenham also wrote to staff about related issues, said Coun Whittaker, the daughter of
‘I am proud of our determination to challenge systemic racism.’
Calder Valley Conservative MP Craig Whittaker,
She added: “Wainhouse Tower was illuminated purple in support for the BLM protests, despite the council having advised the rest of us to obey the lockdown and to avoid non-essential travel.”
Mr Tuddenham said: “We have not always got things right in the past. Mistakes will happen again.
“But I am proud of our determination in Calderdale to do our best to challenge systemic racism, to be kind, create opportunity, instil hope, and seek to build a better future out of this terrible pandemic.”
Coun Swift said Calderdale stood united in support of the BLM movement.
He added: “And we are not alone in this.
“Across our region, our country and across the globe we have seen support for this movement – our neighbouring local authorities, the business community and our sports community have backed this call for change.
“I am proud that Calderdale has always been a safe and welcoming place with many diverse and vibrant communities and we oppose any type of discrimination.”