United Kindom: UK Labour Member of Parliament for Ilford South- Sam Tarry, asked for the withdrawal of the comment of Susan Hall on the “Notting Hill Carnival“.
He said that 10 London Labour MPs have written to Conservative Party Chairman Greg Hands demanding Susan Hall withdraw her comments on the Notting Hill Carnival.
While labelling the letter “Tory candidate’s comments as “deeply offensive and concerning”, the step is led by Dawn Butler, the Chief of the London Parliamentary Labour Party.
Sam Tarry said, “Led by Dawn Butler, it labels the Tory candidate’s comments as “deeply offensive and concerning.”
On behalf of the Labour Party Candidates, Dawn Butler wrote the letter and said that the comments made by the Conservative Party Chair’s London mayoral candidate were deeply offensive and concerning.
He said that he is horrified that their party has continued to lend its backing to Susan Hall, an Assembly Member whose time at City Hall has been characterised by disparaging comments about women, migrants and Black communities in particular.
The letter further stated,”Your mayoral candidate seems convinced of the innate criminality of Black people and has repeatedly implied that our community has a propensity toward violence and disorder, saying that Black people have a “problem with crime”.
He said that Susan Hall has also referred to Notting Hill Carnival as “hell” decrying our world- famous festival as an act of “vandalism” and questioning why it is allowed to continue year on year.
“I am sure you will agree that these comments are not only inaccurate but incredibly offensive. That is why, as Carnival returns – our vibrant, inclusive, decades-old celebration whose traditions are rooted in the struggle for civil rights -I am inviting you to make clear your opposition to them,”said Dawn Butler in a letter.
While requesting to the Chair, Dawn Butler said that their responsibility is to:
- Require that Susan Hall withdraws her comments and issues a public apology to Londoners.
- Publicly condemn and distance the Conservative Party from these comments and views.
- Black Londoners deserve a mayoral candidate who celebrates alongside other community, rather than viewing them with suspicion. Susan Hall is not that candidate and they both know that full well.
