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Reform UK council leader claims he was ‘caught off guard’ saying ‘jury’s out’ on observing Holocaust Memorial Day
George Woodward, leader of St Helens Council, make remark a day after announcing the borough would not be celebrating Black History Month
The Reform UK leader of St Helens Council has now claimed he was “caught off guard” when he announced “the jury’s out” on whether Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) will be observed in the borough.
Faced with stinging criticism of his remarks, made during a BBC Merseyside radio interview George Woodward issued a new statement in which he claimed he had not had the chance to check on whether HMD was previously observed in the borough.
“As is usual with the mainstream media, they threw their “gotcha” attempt by asking me about a completely unrelated event – Holocaust Memorial Day,” claimed Woodward.
“At the time of the interview, I hadn’t had the chance to check with Council Officers whether this event had previously been observed by St Helens Borough Council and so didn’t wish to issue a stance one way or the other.
“I was also caught off guard by being asked about this specific event that was completely unrelated to what the discussion was about.”
But the previous day, while on radio he stood by his decision to cancel Black History Month in the borough on the grounds that it was “racist and divisive.
He said:”When we first came in, we cancelled Refugee Week. We then didn’t celebrate Pride. So we’re going through the calendar, one by one—seeing what comes up and deciding whether we’ll support it or not.”
He also noted: “On the whole, we’re okay with Christian calendar events and things which are unifying and [where] everyone can come together.”
Then asked whether he would observe HMD, he responded: “Jury’s out on that,” adding, “We’re still to review that and make a decision.”
But in an updated statement he now said:”Having now checked and confirmed that this important day has indeed been marked by the council in the past, I can confirm that St Helens Borough will absolutely be continuing to observe Holocaust Memorial Day, in conjunction with our brilliant schools and library service.
“Holocaust Memorial Day is an important event to mark one of the darkest times of the twentieth century and is absolutely crucial to observe.”
The statement included no change to the ban on other commemorations.
A day earlier Woodward made the announcement in a Facebook post about Black History Month.
He said the council “shall not be observing Black History Month”, adding: “We don’t care if you’re black. We don’t care if you’re asian. The only thing that matters is if you love our country and respect British culture.”
St Helens North MP David Baines responded saying: “The Reform Leader of St Helens Council, George Woodward, asked whether the council will be marking Holocaust Memorial Day in January: ‘the jury’s out’. First they came for refugees. Then LGBT. Yesterday our black friends and neighbours. Tomorrow Jews? Who next?”
Baines described the council’s stance as “utterly, utterly abhorrent,” adding: “St Helens is better than this. Britain is better than this.”
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