Agenda item

7.44pm – The Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Cowan, moved, seconded by Councillor Sue Fennimore, the special motion in their names:

“We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country. We condemn racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally.

We deplore the racist and anti-immigrant tone that has defined some of the narrative that came from some in the Leave campaign during the recent EU referendum.

The attack on the Polish Centre was outrageous and an affront to the values that have defined British culture for a very long time. It demonstrated a small-minded ignorance of the history of the Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK), which was founded shortly after the Second World War during which Polish forces fought for Britain to defeat Nazism. We remain grateful for their heroism.

More recently, Polish citizens have become one of the communities that define and greatly add to our modern society and British way of life which we applaud.

We share concern of reports of other racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim and bigoted attacks and state with one voice that they are not tolerated and have no place in our modern society. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.

At this particular time we send a warm message of welcome to the thousands of EU citizens that have made our borough their home. We are deeply grateful for: the businesses they’ve started; the hard work they do; and for how our culture has been enriched because they have chosen to live with us in our beautiful corner of West London.

We will work to ensure local bodies and programmes have the support and resources needed to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

We reassure all people living in our borough that they are valued members of our community.”

Speeches on the special motion were made by Councillors Stephen Cowan, Sue Fennimore, PJ Murphy, Caroline Needham, and Ali Hashem (for the Administration) and Councillors Robert Largan, Charlie Dewhirst, Joe Carlebach, and Frances Stainton (for the Opposition). Councillor Stephen Cowan made a speech winding up the debate. The motion was then put to the vote:

FOR                            Unanimous

AGAINST                   0

NOT VOTING            0

The motion was declared CARRIED.

8:23pm – RESOLVED

We are proud to live in a diverse and tolerant society. Racism, xenophobia and hate crimes have no place in our country. We condemn racism, xenophobia and hate crimes unequivocally.

We deplore the racist and anti-immigrant tone that has defined some of the narrative that came from some in the Leave campaign during the recent EU referendum.

The attack on the Polish Centre was outrageous and an affront to the values that have defined British culture for a very long time. It demonstrated a small-minded ignorance of the history of the Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK), which was founded shortly after the Second World War during which Polish forces fought for Britain to defeat Nazism. We remain grateful for their heroism.

More recently, Polish citizens have become one of the communities that define and greatly add to our modern society and British way of life which we applaud.

We share concern of reports of other racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, anti-Muslim and bigoted attacks and state with one voice that they are not tolerated and have no place in our modern society. We will not allow hate to become acceptable.

At this particular time we send a warm message of welcome to the thousands of EU citizens that have made our borough their home. We are deeply grateful for: the businesses they’ve started; the hard work they do; and for how our culture has been enriched because they have chosen to live with us in our beautiful corner of West London.

We will work to ensure local bodies and programmes have the support and resources needed to fight and prevent racism and xenophobia.

We reassure all people living in our borough that they are valued members of our community.