Bexley councillor rules out mandatory racism training after Conservative member’s tweet referencing “black on black” knife crime

By Lachlan Leeming, Local Democracy Reporter

One of Bexley’s senior councillors has expressed his “regret” over a Conservative colleague’s social media posts referencing “black on black” knife crime, but has ruled out mandatory racism training for elected members.

The tweets, posted last month by Conservative ward member for West Heath John Davey, were alluded to in a question by Labour councillor Mabel Ogundayo at July’s full meeting of Bexley council.

Cllr Ogundayo asked cabinet member for communities, Cllr Alex Sawyer, whether he would recommend “mandatory training on racism” after referring to Cllr Davey’s tweets.

She referenced two posts from Cllr Davey, published last month, the first of which was a response to an action plan she had posted online to tackle racism in the borough.

Cllr Davey had replied to her plan by posting: “What a load of old rubbish”.

His second tweet in response to her said: “The UK, and Bexley in particular, are the most tolerant in the world. You should worry about the Mayor of London’s failure to stop knife crime, much of it black on black”.

Cllr Ogundayo referred to both messages before asking Cllr Sawyer: “Does the cabinet member agree that all councillors should undertake mandatory training on racism to demonstrate a willingness to begin to address any racism that may exist in our midst?”

Cllr Sawyer responded that he didn’t “know the identity of that particular councillor, and I’m not asking Cllr Ogundayo to share it”.

Cllr Sawyer said: “I think it is incumbent upon all representatives of the council, whatever their political party, to be mindful of what we say.

“I think sometimes it is very easy to say things that perhaps we don’t believe offend people, but none the less they do offend people, and it’s not necessarily what we say, it’s how we say it.”

However, he backed away from her question on whether training should be implemented.

“Do I believe that all members should undertake training? I’d like to think that members don’t necessarily need to undertake training,” he told the virtual meeting.

“Do I regret the use of language that particular councillor said? Yes, absolutely.

“Racism, intolerance, inequality can never be called ‘a load of rubbish,’ it is our job as elected representatives to do right by our residents. My role as cabinet member for communities is to look at all communities across our borough without fear or favour, and certainly not favouring one over the other.

“So I don’t necessarily believe all members should undertake training, I believe we need to be mindful with what we say.”

Pictured top: Bexley Council’s John Davey (Conservative, top left), Mabel Ogundayo (Labour) and Alex Sawyer (Conservative).