A FORMER leader of Harlow Council has called for an investigation over allegedly racist material on the social media sites of a leading Tory councillor.

Bush Fair councillor Mark Ingall asked for an investigation at last week’s council meeting.

Earlier this year, Church Langley South and Potter Street Councillor James Leppard was suspended following allegations that he made “Islamophobic comments” on social media.

The suspension was lifted following an investigation by Conservative head office.

He has since been restored to his place as the portfolio holder for finance.

As you may see from the film, councillor Ingall asked the question and then to illustrate his point, put a photocopy of the offending material on the desks of all the front bench councillors.

Film of the event with Harlow Council leader Dan Sword’s response is below.

After the meeting, councillor Ingall wrote to YH.

He said: “I’m sure we all remember the England football team, led by captain Harry Kane, taking the knee before international football matches to show support for Black Lives Matter; making clear racism has no place in football or anywhere else. I have long wondered why some right-wing public figures were so vocally opposed to this anti-racist gesture, could it be because they consider racism to be acceptable?

“I was disappointed to discover that an image had been posted on Councillor James Leppard’s Facebook page that many will find hugely offensive because of its racist nature. To be clear Mr Leppard did not generate the image, which showed a row of colonial era soldiers kneeling to allow a second row to fire over their heads. It was a still from the film Zulu and it was the moment when hundreds of black African men were mercilessly mown down, with the comment “me and the lads taking a knee for the BLM”. By reposting this racist image Mr Leppard amplified it and showed it to a larger audience. Mr Leppard’s comment was “saw this on another site. I must confess with all the stupidity and hype, it did make me laugh”. 

I brought this matter up in Council last night, making clear my view that when a public figure reposts a racist post, makes light of racism, or claims to find racism funny, he normalises and legitimises racism. Clearly this is a breach of the Nolan principles and is wholly unacceptable. I asked the Leader of the Council Dan Swords to investigate this matter, which he agreed to do. 

“Readers may well remember that James Leppard was suspended from the Conservative Party prior to the local elections this year, after Hope not Hate revealed many of his social media posts that they said were Islamophobic and racist. Mr Leppard was restored to the Conservative Party on the night of the local elections by Dan Swords when the results were tied 16-16 with Labour. By restoring Mr Leppard to the Conservative party Mr Swords was able to claim an election victory with a majority of 17-16.”