Labour under pressure after race row model appointed equalities adviser
3 min read
Labour has been criticised after a transgender model who claimed that all white people were racist was appointed an adviser on equalities for the party.
Transgender model Munroe Bergdorf was sacked from cosmetics company L’Oreal over comments she made online that white people’s "entire existence is drenched in racism".
It has now emerged that she has become a member of Labour's new LGBT advisory panel, which has been set up by Dawn Butler, the shadow minister for women and equalities.
Helen Grant, the Conservative vice-chair for communities, Helen Grant, has written to Ms Butler urging her to reconsider the appointment of Ms Bergdorf.
She claimed that the model had also described gay Conservative activists as a "special kind of d***head", called the suffragettes "white supremacists" and claimed that white people are "socially conditioned to be racist".
Ms Grant said: "There really is no excuse for these abhorrent slurs and, fundamentally, they damage the campaign to promote equality and diversity across public life.
"When Jeremy Corbyn was elected Labour leader, he promised a ‘kinder politics’. Yet it seems every day we seem some new example of abuse from the Labour party. The kind of language Bergdorf has used has no place in public life, and ought to be condemned by all those who are serious about promoting equality.
"I urge you to reconsider your appointment of Munroe Bergdorf in light of these comments, and would be pleased to meet with you to discuss further how we can really progress the cause of equalities."
In a tweet sent from Ms Bergdorf’s Twitter account alongside a picture of her with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, she said she was ‘thrilled’ to be advising Ms Butler on issues affecting the LGBT+ community.
Campaign group LGBT Labour also made clear their concerns about Ms Bergdorf's role in a letter to Katy Clark, the head of Labour’s democracy review.
They said: “We are sure you would agree with our concerns that this unelected and undemocratic group, while very well-meaning, is self-appointed and clearly not for ordinary members. It should not have the formal role as the lead advisors to the party of LGBT issues.”
A spokesperson for Dawn Butler said: "Dawn is proud to stand with those challenging discrimination. Dawn will consult with the LGBT+ advisory group on a wide-range of LGBT+ issues.”
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