The panel dismissed the claims as they were 'reasonably interpreted'
A Labour council leader who called flag raisers “criminals” and “nonces” has had a formal complaint against him dismissed; it alleged he made racist comments about Nigerians.
Jeremy Newmark, the leader of Hertsmere Borough Council in Hertfordshire, allegedly called Nigerians “crooks” and said they “cannot be trusted,” it has been claimed.
The formal complaint was brought against Mr Newmark by ex-borough mayor Alpha Bird Collins, a former Labour councillor.
Mr Newmark and council leadership now face a vote of no confidence motioned by Reform UK councillors in the coming weeks.
Mr Collins told the Daily Mail he had been invited to a business conference in Liverpool that was organised by Nigerian entrepreneurs whilst he was mayor.
The complaint alleges that Mr Newmark found out about the plans to attend the conference and said: “You cannot just go there like that, we have to do our due diligence because you know the Nigerians are crooks.”
Mr Collins said: “It's absurd and heart-wrenching that a councillor should label and discriminate.”
The former mayor accused Mr Newmark of making “racist” remarks and said that he had challenged him “openly and publicly,” but the council’s standards panel dismissed the complaint.
The council said that Mr Collins had submitted the claim five months after the alleged remarks were made with “no explanation.”
They also claimed that the former mayor had not provided any evidence or produced any witnesses.
They added that the “only officer” at the time of the alleged remarks “had no recollection” of such remarks being made.
Mr Collins' complaint alleged that Mr Newmark “fabricated” that Liberian people “hated” LGBTQ individuals and were “homophobic.”
Mr Collins is Liberian, and had invited the country’s ambassador to the council for a photo, which Mr Newmark attended.
Following the meeting, Mr Collins complained about remarks made by Mr Newmark, made at a council meeting regarding Liberia’s sexuality laws.
Mr Newmark said that there “wasn't an appropriate opportunity for me to raise those issues” while the visit was taking place but that he was aware of the “shocking treatment” of LGBTQ people in Liberia.
He went on to say the “conversational element” of the visit had been “configured in a rather strange way.”
Despite Mr Collins' complaints, the council said it was “abundantly clear” that Mr Newmark “had not made any of the remarks attributed to him.”
It added that Mr Newmark’s comments on Liberia “where consenting same-sex activity is criminalised,” could not have been “reasonably interpreted,” in the manner that they were being described.
The former mayor expressed his dissatisfaction at the way his complaint was handled by the council.
He concluded: “My official complaint, I put it to him but now, after pressure, they haven't done anything about it.”
