Labour shadow justice secretary David Lammy has claimed that the “time has come” for the UK to look at statues of controversial historical figures, after a memorial to slave trader Edward Colston was toppled in Bristol on Sunday.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain Mr Lammy claim that statues to figures involved in the transatlantic slave trade should be moved into museums where there is “proper context.”
The MPs comments come after Bristol BLM ‘protesters’ toppled the bronze memorial to Edward Colston and dumped it into the harbour on Sunday after a week of protests across the country inspired by the killing of George Floyd in the United States.
Mr Lammy said: “Time has come in the United Kingdom to look at these statues and say is now right to celebrate these people that murdered so many men, women and children. There may be a role for statues such as this in museums where there is proper context where people can think about both their contribution to society and the things that they got wrong.”
“But when we put statues up we’re saying ‘these are beloved figures that should be idolised, that should be remembered in some hallowed way.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel has branded the incident “utterly disgraceful”, while crime, policing and justice minister Kit Malthouse called on Monday for those responsible to be prosecuted.
“A crime was committed, criminal damage was committed, there should be evidence gathered and a prosecution should follow,” Mr Malthouse told BBC Breakfast.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-gQRwyqgq0[/embedyt]Historic England issued a statement claiming they did not believe the statue had to be reinstated, it read: “Edward Colston’s statue in Bristol has long been the focus of debate due to his involvement in the slave trade and we have been engaged in local conversations about how it could be re-interpreted to tell the full story,
“We recognise that the statue was a symbol of injustice and a source of great pain for many people.
“Whilst we do not condone the unauthorised removal of a listed structure, we recognise and understand the emotion and the hurt that public historical commemoration can generate and we encourage Bristol City Council to engage in a city-wide conversation about the future of the statue.
“We are here to offer guidance and support but believe the decision is best made at a local level – we do not believe it must be reinstated.”
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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