Ethnic remarks row councillor quits

[Bald Bouncer]

A councillor has resigned from the Conservative Party over remarks made about children from ethnic minorities.


The proposal is to use St Cuthman's School, a disused
boarding school in Stedham, West Sussex.

John Cherry claimed Pakistani children would fail to "rise to the top" and that some nationalities were "uncertain" when it came to hard work.

He was responding to reports that an Eton-style boarding school could be opened in West Sussex.

In resigning, Mr Cherry, 73, who sits on Chichester District Council, said the comments were "extremely foolish".

'Regret distress'

The councillor, who represents the village of Stedham, made his comments to the Mail on Sunday about a plan by the south London-based Durand Academy to open a boarding school in the village.

He told the paper: "Ninety-seven per cent of pupils will be black or Asian. It depends what type of Asian. If they're Chinese they'll rise to the top. If they're Indian they'll rise to the top. If they're Pakistani they won't.

"There are certain nationalities where hard work is highly valued. There are certain nationalities where they are uncertain what this hard work is all about.

"If the children are not allowed out of the site then it will make them want to escape into the forest - it will be a sexual volcano.

"Has anyone asked whether these children want to be plucked from their natural surroundings? They have never done boarding before, so they won't know how it works.

"The trauma of taking the children out of their natural surroundings is going to be considerable."

His remarks have been heavily criticised and led to moves by the Conservative Party to suspend him.

But Mr Cherry has now resigned and in a statement he apologised for the comments.

"My remarks about Durand Academy, as reported in the Mail on Sunday, were plainly wrong.

"They were thoughtless and extremely foolish. I unreservedly apologise and withdraw them. I very much regret the distress this must have caused."

A Conservative Party spokesman branded his comments "totally unacceptable" and said they did "not reflect the views of the Conservative Party".

BBC News

[Mule]

A Conservative Party spokesman branded his comments "totally unacceptable" and said they did "not reflect the views of the Conservative Party".

Yeah they do.

[tombott]

Some of his comments make sense, e.g.

"Has anyone asked whether these children want to be plucked from their natural surroundings? They have never done boarding before, so they won't know how it works.

"The trauma of taking the children out of their natural surroundings is going to be considerable."

But he should know better than to mention race. But knowing the area well his attitude towards different races does not surprise me at all.
He's in his 70's, lives in a mostly white area and is a Tory and was prepared to air his views in the Daily Fascist. Not much more needs to be said really.