Tory MP branded racist by travellers’ charity

A Tory MP has been accused of racism by the head of a gipsy and travellers charity after calling encampments a ‘blight on our community’.

MP Conor Burns made the comments and vowed to push for more enforcement powers in parliament after several pubs and bars were forced to close early last week over reports of fights and anti-social behaviour linked to a travellers’ site in Bournemouth, Dorset.

But Betty Smith-Billington, chairman of Kushti Bok, a Dorset gipsies and travellers cultural charity, has slammed Mr Burns for his comments.

She said: ‘For Conor Burns to say that travellers are a “blight on our community”, I would like to arrange a meeting with him because I feel that his remarks are racist, and to call an ethnic group a running sore is not the type of language an MP should use.

‘This is happening all over the country, the government are trying to define travellers out of existence, something that will never happen.

‘These incidents are sensationalised and blown out of proportion to raise hatred against our fellow men. 

The caravan park, circled in red, has taken over a car park in Sandbanks as nearby residents claim the travellers wreaked havoc at their last site in nearby Bournemouth

The group of about 15 luxury caravans set up an illegal camp at a public car park in Glen Fern Road, Bournemouth, and are believed to have caused havoc in the local pubs.

It is thought the group were then moved on from the site but set up camp near Sandbanks, Poole, angering local residents there.

Locals believe the arrival of the travellers coincides with the popular Bournemouth Air Show event that will start on this Thursday. 

Mr Burns said: ‘The cry of ‘racist’ is the new way of shutting down debate, avoiding challenge and avoiding replying to legitimate concerns.’

Mr Burns said on Twitter: ‘The cry of ‘racist’ is the new way of shutting down debate, avoiding challenge and avoiding replying to legitimate concerns’ 

Members of the public were quick to jump to his defence on social media too.

One said: ‘Next time travellers leave a camp, this woman needs to be forcibly frog marched along and made to clean up after them.

‘It is not racist to expect people to behave decently. The real problem with the racist card is that it tend to be wheeled out when any rational argument cannot be won any other way, as a way to close down any opposition.

‘These people are actually the cause of underlying resentment as nobody can argue once the racist card is drawn.’

Another said: ‘When Travellers start acting civilised (ie. not leaving a heap of rubbish everywhere they illegally camp) then maybe they will earn respect from the public.

‘An MP describing the mess Travellers have left at every place they have illegally camped as a blight on our community is merely a fact. Being offended by that does not disqualify the truth in that statement.’