A well-intended debate about increasing diversity within Derby City Council turned heated when a councillor was branded a “token candidate” for the city’s Conservative group. The remark was made by a Labour councillor during a full council meeting in which he called on the whole council to promote and encourage diversity, stating the authority needed to do more to bring more people from under-represented groups into local government and for more awareness to be shown to diverse issues within communities.
Ndukwe Onuoha, the first African person to be elected as a councillor in Derby, turned on Conservative councillor Gaurav Pandey after he stated during a full council meeting on Wednesday, September 20, that the authority had more “pressing issues” to deal with than dealing with diversity matters.
Councillor Onuoha moved a motion calling on the city council to be a “diverse council”. He wants the authority to “demonstrate an open and welcoming culture to all, promoting the highest standards of behaviour and conduct” and called for the authority to set out a “Local Diverse Council Action Plan” ahead of the next local elections. This would include work to “encourage and enable people from under-represented groups to stand for office through the provision of activities such as mentoring and shadowing programmes and information and learning events for people interested in standing as official candidates”.
The Mackworth councillor said: “(Being a diverse council) has the ability to inspire, elevate conversations and most importantly bring communities together. It is important that those diversities (in Derby) are reflected in this chamber. It is therefore important that under-represented groups on characteristics including age, disability, sexuality, race and religious beliefs can look down from the public gallery with the satisfaction that there is at least one councillor with an understanding of their experience and who can be a champion on policies that affect them.”
The motion received support from all fellow Labour councillors. Normanton councillor Gurkiran Kaur said: “This motion would ensure we would provide the most appropriate learning and development opportunities for under-represented groups. We would work towards setting up the Diverse Council Action Plan ahead of the next local elections, ensuring that diversity ambassadors are appointed for each political group to encourage those from under-representative groups to stand as candidates in their wards.”
But opposition councillors said they could not support the motion because they felt the council was already a “diverse council” and the intentions of the motion were already in action. They said a councillor should be elected by the public on merit and not solely based on any diversity element.
Councillor Pandey said: “I don’t think it is the right time to put this motion forward, especially when the cabinet keeps saying they don’t have any money. There are more pressing issues to be discussed. If any of these proposals are going to incur costs then where are you going to get the money from?
“The council is being led by a diverse leader. Last year, the city had a diverse Mayor and the year before that – the country is being run by a diverse Prime Minister.”
Councillor Onuoha hit back at Councillor Pandey’s remarks which triggered very loud shouts of “out of order”. The Labour councillor said: “Everything has been turned on its head – right now I don’t know where we are. Councillor Pandey talks about money, yet his group say ‘we are already doing these things’. If we are ‘already doing these things’ then surely they are already funded – I just wonder if he is comfortable being the token candidate in the group.”
Conservative councillor Matthew Eyre then shouted out loud: “Mr Mayor surely that comment is out of order.” The Mayor – Councillor Alan Graves – then advised Councillor Onuoha to stick to the contents of the comments made at the meeting.
The motion was tied after a recorded vote. However, the Mayor – who gets the deciding vote in a tie – opted to abstain, meaning the motion was lost.
After the meeting, Councillor Pandey issued a statement saying: “What truly disturbed me was Councillor Onuoha’s statement that I am a ‘token’ candidate/councillor for the local Conservatives. I vehemently reject this comment as I know I was elected on my qualifications and abilities.”
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