Councillor denies he’s racist after sharing post comparing immigrant to dog

He said he was just 'careless and naive'.

A councillor has apologised after sharing a Facebook post that likened an immigrant trying to claim benefits to a dog.

Tony Richardson has denied being racist and said he was just ‘careless and naive’ after he was found to have breached Hartlepool council’s code of conduct.

In December last year, the Fens and Rossmere councillor shared the offensive post, while three other offensive posts shared by him were also considered in the investigation.

A standards hearing in January found they were a significant breach of the council’s code of conduct, with the hearing’s independent person calling the post about the dog ‘vile and offensive’ and ‘hate speech in any one’s opinion’.

Following an independent inquiry, a meeting of the full council unanimously approved to move forward with the recommendations from the Audit and Governance Committee to address Cllr Richardson’s actions.

Sanctions include removing the councillor from his positions on the Licensing, Planning and Local Joint Consultative Committees, and stating he should not be appointed to any other committees.

Other councillors are also discouraged from nominating him as a substitute for them on any committees.

The recommendations also stated Cllr Richardson should consider resigning as an elected member of Hartlepool Borough Council.

However, he stated he is committed to continuing working for the people in his ward, supporting his comments from February this year where he said he would not be resigning.

Cllr Richardson, who now sits as an Independent on the council, stressed it was not his intention to cause any offence and accepted the sanctions.

In a statement read on his behalf, he said: ‘It was honestly not my intention to cause any offence. 

‘I hope with accepting these sanctions the residents of Hartlepool will forgive my carelessness and naivety and allow me to help the people of Fens and Rossmere ward as I have been doing for the past three years.’

Hartlepool Council also issued a formal statement following Coun Richardson’s actions, stressing the promotion of racist and offensive material is not acceptable and would not be tolerated.

It said: ‘The actions of Councillor Tony Richardson are not representative of this Authority or the communities that it represents and as such the Authority has worked to impose the most appropriate and stringent sanctions that are available in law.’

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