A councillor has made a call for Bracknell Forest Council to commit to protecting free speech in the wake of questions over immigration policies.
A Bracknell Forest councillor is urging the council to protect free speech amid controversy over immigration policies.
The issue arose after Sandhurst Town councillor John Edwards faced a code of conduct investigation for allegedly ‘stirring up racial hatred’ following his national TV appearances questioning the council's role in resettling Afghan refugees.
The Grange Hotel in Bracknell is known to be serving as ‘transitional accommodation’ for those fleeing Afghanistan. In response to rising tensions, councillors passed a motion to develop a community cohesion strategy and tackle hate crimes.
Now, opposition councillor John Harrison (Conservative, Binfield North and Warfield West) plans to introduce a motion that commits the council to uphold free speech and oppose “vexatious complaints”.
The motion highlights recent instances where local authorities have restricted lawful speech or penalised individuals for their beliefs. It also references a former council employee, Sarah Holman, who left after raising concerns about unisex toilets at the council offices.
Harrison’s motion insists that no one should face malicious complaints for questioning immigration policies, stating that such actions undermine democratic discourse. It alludes to reports that Edwards had been reported to police due to his statements.
If approved, the motion would commit the council to revise its code of conduct to explicitly protect free speech and limit sanctions to clear legal violations. It also calls for opposition to any national rules that could threaten these rights.
The motion is set to be introduced at the full council meeting on Wednesday, September 10, and will be seconded by councillor Dr Gareth Barnard (Conservative, Whitegrove).
James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter
