Sir Conor Burns said he «will not be silenced for raising legitimate concerns»; Photo: Tim Clark
A Conservative MP has vowed he «will not be silenced» after a charity accused him of «fuelling the flames of racism» after he spoke out against a new traveler camp in his constituency.
Sir Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West, said there were «politically motivated» attempts to stop him speaking out about plans for a disused car park in Branksome, Dorset, after he raised concerns.
Sir Conor, the former minister under Boris Johnson, who has represented West Bournemouth since 2010, posted a video on social media in which he said proposals to accommodate a “so-called settled Traveler community” were inappropriate “in the middle of this residential area”. «.
Campaigners for the Traveler Movement, a charity representing the Gypsy, Gypsy and Irish Traveler community, accused the MP of «inciting discrimination» and suggested his comments had «fanned the flames of racism».
'Wrong place'< p>Responding to criticism, Sir Conor said: “I will cooperate fully with any investigation into anything I have said.
“However, I will not be silenced if I raise legitimate issues on behalf of my constituents or oppose any planning proposals that I believe are not in their best interests, especially in the face of politically motivated attempts to silence the voice of the local MP.”
In his video, Sir Conor said residents don't expect «the local council to decide who our neighbors are, but potentially that's what will happen.»
He said Bournemouth council , Christchurch and Poole allocated this site «for the so-called settled community of Gypsies and Travelers».
“I'm not saying they shouldn't have a website. I say — I think I agree with many locals — that this site here, in the middle of this residential area, is not a good location,” he said.
Yvonne McNamara, executive director of the Travelers Movement, wrote to Richard Holden, chairman of the Conservative Party, saying: «The content of the video treats Gypsies and Irish Travelers as if they are second-class citizens.»
“The member for Bournemouth West said he did not believe the new Gypsy Traveler site should be located in the Branksome Triangle because it was a “residential area.” We doubt that Mr Conor Burns would make similar statements about other protected groups, such as the Jewish and black communities.»
Responding to Sir Conor's comments, she said: «The accusations by Conor Burns MP that our decision to complain about his use of racist rhetoric was politically motivated, extremely serious and completely inaccurate. The decision to lodge a complaint about the language used by the MP for Bournemouth West is well in line with our charitable aims.»
'Out of sight, out of mind'
Pauline Melvin-Anderson, head of the organisation's board of trustees, said: 'It's really worrying to say that there should be no residential areas in a residential area.
“This implies that people from our community should not live next to people of other nationalities, that we should live completely separately — out of sight, out of mind.”
The Branksome site was among 15 sites chosen to accommodate travelers in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council's draft proposals.
The site, located between two railway lines near Bourne Valley Road, was previously used as a park and ride for insurance employees company LV.
In August, David T.S. Davies, the Welsh secretary, was under police investigation over an allegedly racist campaign leaflet in which he opposed a new website for travelers to his constituency. The police later stopped the investigation.
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