Bristol councillor coconut slur 'whitewash' report

A report into a Bristol city councillor who called a colleague a "coconut" during a debate says she should face no further action.

The council report into the race row has been branded a whitewash by the leader of the council's Tory group.

Liberal Democrat Shirley Brown caused outrage when she accused Conservative colleague Jay Jethwa of being a "coconut" at a council meeting earlier this year.

The term is commonly used as a derogatory label for someone from an ethnic minority who is seen to have "sold out their culture", indicating they are "brown on the outside but white on the inside".

It was during a speech at the council's annual budget meeting in February that Mrs Brown, who is black, told Mrs Jethwa, who is Asian: "In our culture we have a word for you, a word

which many in our city would understand, and that's coconut. At the end of the day I look at you as that."

Complaints from a member of the public and the Tories sparked an investigation by the council's standards committee, and a meeting is due to be held on Tuesday to determine what should happen to Mrs Brown.

But a report, carried out by council official Shahzia Daya, recommends that although a racial slur was used no further action is needed because Mrs Brown has apologised.

The comment was made by Mrs Brown after Mrs Jethwa had spoken in support of an unsuccessful Tory motion to cut funding to the Legacy Commission, an organisation set up to support black people and ethnic minorities in Bristol.

Ms Daya said: "This was an isolated incident that took place during a heated and fractious political debate.

"My conclusion is that although the term 'coconut' undeniably has a racial element to it, its use in this particular context does not constitute racial abuse.

"It is, however, an offensive and insulting term. The choice of language was inappropriate.

"I am of the view that Councillor Brown breached the code of conduct for members in that she failed to treat a fellow councillor with respect by using a racial slur during the full council debate on February 24.

"If I am asked to recommend a sanction then I would say that no further action is required given that Councillor Brown apologised for her comments.

"The committee may wish to consider recommending further training for all councillors on behaviour expected at full council, given the general debate that took place on February 24."

The report was initially placed on the council website but was pulled yesterday.

The Conservatives are furious at the report's recommendation.

Group leader Richard Eddy said: "The report to the committee seems to me to be an attempt to whitewash this whole matter away.

"By her own admission Councillor Brown feels that to use the discriminatory term is quite common in her community and experience.

"Most Bristolians of whatever background find this quite outrageous and particularly hypocritical coming from someone who claims to be peculiarly sensitive to issues of racial discrimination."

Tory chief whip Councillor John Goulandris said his group was "baffled by many of the findings needed to reach this strange and totally unacceptable conclusion".

He said: "We contend that this was a carefully calculated insult, designed to wound with maximum effect a fellow BME councillor, who would know only too well the racial connotations that lie behind it.

"If the standards committee does not impose a meaningful sanction on Councillor Brown, this council's professed intolerance of racism will be shown to be, at best, highly selective and, at worst, a charade."

Ms Daya interviewed Mrs Brown, Mrs Jethwa and a number of members of black and ethnic minority communities as part of her investigation.

Mrs Brown was asked if she was aware the comments were recorded as a racist incident in the council's harassment procedure.

She replied: "I didn't believe it to be racist – there was no racial connotation meant. No way would I deliberately use a racial connotation. I meant that she is in denial of her roots. I then went on to say that coconut water can be used or thrown away, ie that I will disregard her comments and throw them away.

"I accept it was a clumsy use of words. I am saddened at how my comments were received and I am still in shock and disbelief at how the matter has escalated.

"I do not believe my apology has been accepted and this has turned into a political use rather than something we could sort out between ourselves."

But Mrs Jethwa said in her interview that the comment was insulting and not the "usual political banter".

She said: "It is a comment directed personally at me, which is a racial insult and therefore oversteps the line. I find the term used to be deeply upsetting both to me and implying that it was bad to be white.

"This comment kept me going around in my head and I found it offensive and unacceptable."

The complaint that prompted the investigation was made by Bristolian James Taylor, and it is reprinted in the report.

Mr Taylor said: "It is with absolute disgust that I write concerning the actions of Councillor Shirley Brown.

"I am absolutely appalled at the behaviour of this woman.

"Were I to deride a BME colleague in my work place with such language I would be immediately suspended and investigated.

"I believe with this outburst she has done more to harm race relations and the public view of Bristol than we can have imagined."

The Evening Post attempted to contact Mrs Brown for comment yesterday but she was not available.

The council declined to comment ahead of the meeting.

Councillor Barbara Janke, Lib Dem group leader and leader of Bristol City Council, said: "It is good that this report has been completed and this matter dealt with without delay.

"Shirley Brown has said all along that she regretted saying what she did.She issued an apology very soon afterwards.

"The report recommends no further action be taken. It is up to the standards committee to decide.

"We hope now that a line can be drawn under this whole episode."