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| Labour party member apologises for 'racist' horse whip comment | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Labour party member who suggested "horse whipping" Bristol's black mayor has apologised for using words with "unintentional racial connotations". | A Labour party member who suggested "horse whipping" Bristol's black mayor has apologised for using words with "unintentional racial connotations". |
| Mal Sainsbury's Facebook post asked people to bring a "metaphorical horse whip to lick our mayor and councillors into shape" in a protest against cuts. | Mal Sainsbury's Facebook post asked people to bring a "metaphorical horse whip to lick our mayor and councillors into shape" in a protest against cuts. |
| Campaign group Operation Black Vote initially called for her expulsion but is now "pleased" she has apologised. | Campaign group Operation Black Vote initially called for her expulsion but is now "pleased" she has apologised. |
| Ms Sainsbury said it was a "lesson in how language matters". | Ms Sainsbury said it was a "lesson in how language matters". |
| She wrote the comments on a closed Labour Party Facebook page, which mayor Marvin Rees responded to by asking if it was "an appropriate way of describing an interaction between a person of White European and Black African heritage in a city like Bristol?" | She wrote the comments on a closed Labour Party Facebook page, which mayor Marvin Rees responded to by asking if it was "an appropriate way of describing an interaction between a person of White European and Black African heritage in a city like Bristol?" |
| Ms Sainsbury said she was referring to a historical event in 1909 where a suffragette took a whip to Winston Churchill on Temple Meads Station. | Ms Sainsbury said she was referring to a historical event in 1909 where a suffragette took a whip to Winston Churchill on Temple Meads Station. |
| She said: "My words were intended to reference white patriarchal dominance over women. It was about gender and power, not colour. | She said: "My words were intended to reference white patriarchal dominance over women. It was about gender and power, not colour. |
| "But although unintentional, the imagery also conjured up racial connotations of another dark and dreadful part of Bristol's history." | "But although unintentional, the imagery also conjured up racial connotations of another dark and dreadful part of Bristol's history." |
| Ms Sainsbury said she "deeply regretted any offence" and offered "a full and unremitting apology to all those affected". | Ms Sainsbury said she "deeply regretted any offence" and offered "a full and unremitting apology to all those affected". |
| She said she has since spoken with Operation Black Vote and said they had "spoken to her at length personally" and had agreed "my intentions were not racial". | She said she has since spoken with Operation Black Vote and said they had "spoken to her at length personally" and had agreed "my intentions were not racial". |
| She added the Labour Party was "extremely proud of electing Marvin Rees as our first black mayor and fully recognise and support the challenges he faces in defending the rights and resources of Bristol". | She added the Labour Party was "extremely proud of electing Marvin Rees as our first black mayor and fully recognise and support the challenges he faces in defending the rights and resources of Bristol". |
| Operation Black Vote said they had been sent a screen grab of Ms Sainsbury's post, which they wrote about on their website. | Operation Black Vote said they had been sent a screen grab of Ms Sainsbury's post, which they wrote about on their website. |
| Simon Woolley, from Operation Black Vote, said: "Above all, what this episode shows me is that language matters. Whilst I can accept there was no racial intent, it doesn't mean to say there was no racial hurt. | Simon Woolley, from Operation Black Vote, said: "Above all, what this episode shows me is that language matters. Whilst I can accept there was no racial intent, it doesn't mean to say there was no racial hurt. |
| "The image of a white person horse whipping a black man in a city like Bristol has clear racial connotations. | "The image of a white person horse whipping a black man in a city like Bristol has clear racial connotations. |
| "I'm pleased that Mal Sainsbury has acknowledged this and unreservedly apologised to Marvin and the wider black community." | "I'm pleased that Mal Sainsbury has acknowledged this and unreservedly apologised to Marvin and the wider black community." |
| Bristol has a strong historic connection with slavery. Between 1698 and 1807, 2,108 ships left Bristol for Africa to exchange goods for enslaved Africans and take them to the Caribbean. | Bristol has a strong historic connection with slavery. Between 1698 and 1807, 2,108 ships left Bristol for Africa to exchange goods for enslaved Africans and take them to the Caribbean. |
| The mayor and Labour Party South West have been approached for comment. | The mayor and Labour Party South West have been approached for comment. |