Conservative councillor resigns over racist social media posts
A Conservative councillor has resigned after sharing posts on social media
2 min read
A Conservative councillor has resigned over racist posts he shared on social media.
Robin Vickery stepped down as a Suffolk County and Ipswich Borough councillor after he was found to have shared a post on social media calling for black and asian people to be deported.
Mr Vickery, who has also resigned from the Conservative party, was due to retire in May next year, but chose to resign after hundreds of people complained to the local authority over the posts.
He also shared two further posts on Facebook comparing the response to George Floyd's death to that of the murder of Lee Rigby.
The local Conservative groups on both councils had suspended Mr Vickery after the posts were uncovered, saying they had launched an urgent investigation.
But Mr Vickery chose to step down from the roles, saying: "I have resigned from the councils and the party. I had been planning to stand down at the next elections, but I’ve had enough.
"I'm going to enjoy my retirement. I don't need this hassle. I have been subjected to some horrible comments – far worse than anything I have said."
Meanwhile, the posts were criticised by local Conservative MP Dan Poulter, who said his "behaviour has no place in any civilised party".
And he said the posts "on the face of it, individually and collectively, appear to be racist and this is complete unacceptable".
The resignation comes amid growing anger at Bristol Tory councillor Richard Eddy after he accused protestors who toppled a statue of slave trader Edward Colston of engaging in "frenzied thug violence".
Describing the former slaver as a "hero", Mr Eddy said he was "horrified and appalled" after the statue was dumped in Bristol's Floating Harbour.
But Mr Eddy, who was forced to step down as deputy leader of Bristol City Council in 2001 after he used a golliwog doll as a mascot, said he had recieved more outraged responses to the removal of the statue than any other issue during his time as a councillor.
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