Reform UK council leader says ‘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 a council has said “the jury’s out” on whether St Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) will be observed in January.
George Woodward, leader of St Helens Council in the Liverpool City Region, stated that his party is reviewing the council’s calendar “one by one” after previously announcing the borough would not be celebrating Black History Month.
In a BBC Merseyside radio interview, Woodward was asked whether the council would continue to mark HMD. He responded: “Jury’s out on that,” adding, “We’re still to review that and make a decision.”
Local Labour MP David Baines branded the council’s stance as “utterly, utterly abhorrent,”
Woodward explained that the Reform-led council is assessing events throughout the year to determine which ones it will support. “So far, we’ve cancelled a number of events,” 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.”
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.”
The remarks about HMD, made on BBC Radio Merseyside, have drawn strong criticism from St Helens North MP David Baines.
Baines wrote: “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.”
Earlier this year, the council’s Library Service organised a Holocaust Memorial Day event at St Helens Town Hall, which included performances and readings from schoolchildren and young people.