Writing in the Sunday Telegraph (17.1) Tory Minister Robert Jenrick complained of the ‘baying mob’ who apparently remove statues of slave traders across the UK, joined by ‘town hall committees of woke worthies’. He made a Commons statement on the matter on 18.1 outling new laws he planned to make sure that statues of slave traders stay firmly in place:
https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-01-18/hcws713
It didnt take long for Jenrick’s plans to run into trouble as those well known woke worthies the City of London Corporation voted to remove two statues of politicians with links to the slave trade at the London Guildhall. As a result of a consultation of Black Lives Matter they also agreed to review other statues and place names in the Square Mile:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-55753101
Once again it seems the Tories are at odds with business. The City knows racism can cause reputational damage and hit profits. The Government is not bothered.
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