Cecil Rhodes statue ‘should be joined by Mandela sculpture’

A controversial statue of Cecil Rhodes outside an Oxford college should be joined by a sculpture of Nelson Mandela rather than be removed, peers have heard at Westminster.

The call was made by independent crossbencher and former BBC governor Baroness Deech as she urged steps by the government “to stop the destruction of important historical statues”.

It follows along-running campaign demanding the removal of the monument to the British imperialist at Oriel College, which gained renewed attention amid the Black Lives Matter movement.

It has also fuelled the wider debate around statues of historical figures who have connections to colonialism or slavery.

Addressing the contentious issue in parliament, Minister for Civil Society Baroness Barran said: “The government policy on historic public statues is quite clear.

“They should not be removed but retained with a fuller contextualisation on the background and history of those commemorated provided, summarised as ‘retain and explain’.”

Following this up, Lady Deech said: “The wish on the part of some to eradicate our past in the belief that it’s evil does not justify vandalism.

“I am dismayed to see re-evaluation, often uninformed , of the contribution of historical figures most of whom have good and less good elements.”

There were “strong reasons” to remove the statue of Richard the Lion heart outside parliament, she said, but added: “I am content to walk by him every day knowing that the study of history places him in context.”

She went on: “Likewise with Cecil Rhodes in my home city.

“I maintain that he did more good than bad and should not be sacrificed to current concerns, but should be joined by a statue of Mandela.”