A Derbyshire County Councillor insists he is not racist and he has no regrets about a speech in which he stated that UK citizens should be prioritised over illegal immigrants.
Cllr Stephen Reed, of the Reform UK-led administration, was responding to a question at a recent council meeting, at County Hall, in Matlock, from a member of the public when he defended the council’s use of flags and discussed immigration before finishing his speech by ironically suggesting if his views are considered by some as racist then so be it.
He told the meeting to applause from fellow Reform councillors: “If you want to say that anybody with a view that our citizens should come first rather than people jumping on boats and getting into the country illegally is a racist – guess what? I am racist and I am proud of it.”
Cllr Reed has since said he was being ironic with his closing comment and that he is definitely not a racist and he stands by his views even if some consider his remark about supporting UK citizens over illegal immigrants to be racist.
The member of the public had raised concerns about what she called the ‘misuse and abuse’ of the St George’s flag by the far-right and racist groups who she claims have threatened social cohesion and disturbed racial minorities.
She asked if the Reform UK-controlled council would reconsider its decision to fly the St George’s flag among permitted flags on public buildings and asked if the Union flag is not sufficient because it represents the whole of Britain.
Cllr Reed, Cabinet Member for Business Services, told the meeting the flag represents the nation and stands for ‘unity and inclusion’ in communities and by criticising and focusing too much on diversity and the use of the flag causes division and he argued that people should focus on the things that bring them together not on what divides them.
He told the meeting during a ‘passionate’ speech: “We stand for the United Kingdom, for a united Britain, for a united country with British values.
“Again, for us as a party, it’s family, its community and it’s country regardless of your background.”
Cllr Reed. whose father was born in Wolverhampton, revealed that he was born in Australia and grew up in Papa New Guinea and around the world but he is British and English and takes pride in the English flag and wears it proudly as a badge on his suit lapel.
As Cllr Reed raised his voice above applause and cheers from fellow Reform UK councillors, he added that there are four countries in the UK and the council is proud of that fact and he proudly wears the flag after he was born in Australia but he is British and English.
Opposition Liberal Democrat Leader, Cllr Ed Fordham, criticised Cllr Reed for shouting at a member of the public and opposition Green Party Cllr Rachel Hatchett also said she thought it was unacceptable for people in this chamber to shout at members of the public.
Cllr Reed, who said he is ‘passionate’ and he described the issue as ‘a passionate subject’, said that he was speaking over a ‘loud and rowdy audience’ and if the member of the public felt he had caused offence he apologised because that was not his intent.
Chairperson, Cllr Nick Adams, acknowledged Cllr Reed’s apology which he described as ‘very gracious’.
The flag movement which has seen streets with both St George and Union flags has triggered continued debate since it gathered momentum across Derbyshire and in the UK with accusations of racism following the launch of the Operation Raise the Colours campaign in the name of national pride and patriotism.
Supporters of Operation Raise the Colours have rejected claims that putting up flags is part of a far-right movement or that it has any racist connotations over concerns about immigration difficulties in the UK.
But some of the public with concerns over immigration have expressed opposition to what they believe is the misrepresentation of the St George’s flag and some have raised concerns at the number of unauthorised flags on lampposts which they fear pose division and discomfort for minority groups.
Following the meeting, Cllr Reed apologised if he has caused offence but he stands by his comments and views with no regrets arguing he was being ironic with his closing remark and that he is definitely not a racist but if that is how people view him for supporting UK citizens over immigrants then so be it.
He said: “It was intentionally meant to be ironic and I was speaking to the people watching online seeing the sentiment.”
Cllr Reed added: “It’s not racist to believe in the flag. It is not racist to be proud of your country and it’s not racist that the Government should be prioritising UK citizens over legal and illegal migrants.
“But if the Government wants to label people racist for holding these views – so if you want to tar me as far right and racist so be it.
“I do not regret the choice of words because it was intentional because it shows the direction that society is heading in and it was made to be ironic.
“I am not upset or mad that anyone has chosen to deliberately take it out of context.”
Cllr Reed criticised an online message posted by Conservative County Cllr Nigel Gourlay with a freeze frame image of Cllr Reed with his left arm pointing to the public gallery with quoted text stating, ‘I am a racist and I am proud of it’.
The Reform UK councillor said: “I am disappointed that a sitting councillor who had the full context and someone who represents his constituents would blatantly choose to portray it in that manner.
“By him holding that point he is putting his issues on the line. He is saying it’s racist that British people be prioritised ahead of migrants and that it is racist to support the national flag and it’s racist to be proud of your country and heritage.”
He added: “I do not apologise for what I said because of the manner in which I said it but I apologise if anyone took offence.”
Cllr Gourlay said: “Stephen Reed’s speech was a disgusting example of the Reform party’s speech-writing.
“I would encourage you to watch the video to see the front bench of Reform councillors grinning. It is clear that he had told them beforehand that he would say, ‘I am a racist and I’m proud of it’.
“Reed’s aim was to normalise the use of such language. It’s a common trick amongst far-right politicians to reframe the definition of racism.
“They assert that anti-racist standards are unreasonable or absurd, then claim they are ‘telling uncomfortable truths’. Reed wanted to detach racism from harm, and associate it with authenticity or resistance.
“By starting a section of his speech with a conditional structure, he has given racism the ‘grammar of reason’ allowing him to claim that any accusation against himself is arbitrary and subjective, and that no shared definition of racism exists.
“He planned this, and delivered it as an answer to a member of the public who had taken time out of her day to visit Matlock to ask her representatives to justify themselves. It’s filth.”
Cllr Reed who says he is not far-right and not racist said after the meeting: “The first responsibility of any Government is to the safety and welfare of its citizens. That is the first duty of any Government.
“So why is it that the previous Conservative [Government] administration and the current Labour [Government] administration feel it’s all right to let in tens of thousands of migrants – illegal and legal.”
He argued that there are still people coming across to the UK being prioritised ahead of British citizens and the public feel betrayed.
Cllr Reed claims that once asylum seekers have been granted status local authorities have to address that they are homeless and he claims they jump the queue for housing.
He added: “There are genuine racist people in this country with hateful views and what we are doing is tarring ordinary citizens who should be prioritised against migrants – legal and illegal – who are proud of their heritage, of their country with the industrial revolution and bringing in the railway system and that the country abolished slavery.”
Cllr Reed said that he does not think multiculturalism has worked but he does think there is great diversity in the country with great people from great backgrounds.
He said: “The St George cross speaks about England and the Union flag talks about unity – four nations to become one kingdom and we still celebrate under the UK that we are English and that we live in Derbyshire.”
Shocked Independent Councillor, Amy Wheelton, pointed out that the question from the member of the public had actually been addressed to the Reform UK Cabinet Member for Health and Communities, Cllr Dawn Abbott, before Cllr Reed took up the response.
Cllr Wheelton said: “I was mortified at the comments, embarrassed and felt the Nolan principles (ethical standards) were not followed, also process appeared to be lacking with respect to the constitution as the question was not for him.
“I have never seen anything like it in a council chamber, we [are] elected to represent residents, not shout at them.”
Keith Venables, of the Hope not Hate group and the Together Alliance against the Far Right said: “As a Derbyshire resident I was shocked to see Cllr Reed’s response to a gently asked question from a member of the public at last week’s full council meeting.
“The fervour of his speech and his raised voice, along with the response of his fellow councillors was concerning.
“His choice of words was reckless and potentially distressing when talking about such an emotive and inflammatory issue that certainly calls for more calm.
“I understand and respect Cllr Reed’s point of view and hope he respects mine. I oppose any provocation that might encourage those elements in society who are trying to divide us.
“I prefer hope to hate and am sure that Cllr Reed, like most people in Great Britain, believes that migrants to this multicultural society have helped make us a successful, fair and inclusive society. That’s the country I’m proud of.”
Conservative Group Leader, County Cllr Alex Dale, said: “I actually agreed with a lot of what Stephen said at the start of his remarks. The Union Flag and St George’s Flag are inclusive national symbols, not divisive ones, and we should be proud of our country and our identity rather than embarrassed by them.
“However, I do feel he let himself, and the council, down towards the end of his response. A member of the public had travelled to Matlock to exercise her democratic right to ask a question of the authority, and regardless of whether we agree with the views being expressed, councillors have a responsibility to respond respectfully and calmly. Shouting at members of the public does not help healthy democratic debate.
“I also fundamentally disagree with his comments on racism. Those remarks felt planned and designed to provoke attention and headlines rather than contribute to a serious, grown-up discussion on a complex issue.
“In my view, the approach is particularly unwise given the national attention currently surrounding the Reform UK Party Leader’s previous remarks and the local allegations of racism at Reform-run Staffordshire County Council, where the Leader of the Council has had to resign over social media posts.
“The phrasing Stephen used was fundamentally wrong for two main reasons. Firstly, it risks accepting the false narrative from the Left that pride in our nation or concern about uncontrolled immigration is inherently racist. It is not, and we should never give in to that narrative. We should be saying very clearly and confidently that it is not racist, rather than flippantly adopting the language of our political opponents to try to ridicule them.
“Secondly, by using the term so casually, it diminishes the seriousness of real racism and the lived experiences of those who genuinely suffer it. Racism is abhorrent and must be challenged wherever it exists, not used as a rhetorical device to score political points.”
County council leaders for the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Green Party were asked for statements as a reaction to Cllr Reed’s speech, and for their views on the flags debate and immigration but at the time of publication they had not yet responded.
