Along with other councillors, I received a letter earlier this week from our new MP Al Pinkerton expressing his wish to work collaboratively and on a cross party basis.
Cross-party working is vital to making our politics work, both locally and nationally. However, since being elected last year, I have found that the behaviour of a small minority of Liberal Democrat representatives has made this impossible due to the aggressive and unpleasant attitude that they take towards those who disagree with them. I would stress this applies only to a small minority of councillors and I find the majority on all sides to be hard-working, honest local representatives who are in politics for the right reason.
I have therefore responded to Al calling for him to distance himself from this behaviour, so that we can work a constructive manner for the benefit of residents in Surrey Heath. The full text of my response is set out below:
Dear Al
Thank you for your letter. I am really pleased to hear that you wish to work on a cross-party basis and I am very much keen to work with you to represent the residents of Surrey Heath. Our parties have worked effectively together previously in Government and I know we can do so again in opposition. Indeed, I have had the pleasure of working constructively with a number of your Liberal Democrat colleagues already in my role as a borough councillor.
However, it is not easy to work on a cross-party basis when some of your party colleagues repeatedly make aggressive and highly offensive remarks about me and my Conservative colleagues on social media. I would draw your attention to a couple of recent examples (whom in my view are the worst offenders).
The first is from Chobham Parish Councillor Emma Kennedy referring to the Conservative Party Agent as a “sack of shit”. Evidence provided below. This councillor repeatedly makes highly derogatory and aggressive remarks about Conservative party representatives online.
"Emma Kennedy: I'll also add, the Tory candidate's agent was seen punching the air with delight when the question was asked so that tells you what a sack of shit he is. Vote these fuckers out to space on Thursday next week"
The second is Surrey Heath Borough Councillor Richard Wilson. There are a number of instances of this councillor making statements implying that all Conservatives are racists or homophobes. Below are just a couple of examples of some of his recent work. His behaviour in the Council Chamber is also there for all to see and I know makes not only myself but a number of your own party’s councillors deeply uncomfortable.
"Richard Wilson: Many Conservative elected officials and activists are stirring up racial hatred. It is what they got into politics for."
"Richard WIlson: The disgusting racist anti-immigrant leaflet that Surrey Heath Tory councillors delivered before the general election doesn't look so clever now, does it guys? #fail"
I am sure you will understand that it is difficult to work on a cross-party basis when members of your party engage in this type of rhetoric (how am I supposed to work with someone who claims to think I deliver racist literature?).
I would stress that in my experience the vast majority of Liberal Democrat representatives (including yourself) strike me as people who are in politics for the right reason, but while you continue to associate yourself with people like this there is an obstacle to cross-party working. Actions speak louder than words, so to demonstrate your willingness to work on a cross-party basis I would ask that:
- You confirm that you agree that the statements and behaviour of the above two councillors is unacceptable and hinders our ability to work together
- You will request that both councillors make public apologies or retractions of the comments I have highlighted in this email.
These steps would demonstrate your willingness to work on a cross party basis, which I know that both yourself and the majority of your Liberal Democrat colleagues are keen to do. Please could you let me know if you are willing to do this.
Wishing you all the best.
Kind regards
Jonny
Councillor Jonny Cope
St. Paul’s Ward
