Our Member of Parliament does the people of Stroud a disservice in claiming that concern over the Blackboy Clock comes from a ‘loud minority’ with an ‘unquenchable desire to be outraged’.

I am the Council’s Chair of Equalities and we embarked on the Blackboy review with the unanimous support of councillors from all parties including the Conservatives.

With the Black Lives Matter movement and the removal of the Colston statue from Bristol we recognized that the time was right to consult locally, not only about the statue but about other artefacts of our colonial and racist history.

We have a proud record in Stroud. We have the country’s only Anti-Slavery Arch, a listed monument, good relations with Stroud Against Racism and the Pride movement and we welcome refugees.

We think it unfortunate that Siobhan Baillie M.P is succumbing to unfounded dog whistle allegations.

Our local people deserve better and it does her no credit.

Councillor Norman Kay

Green, Nailsworth