Sandwell's Conservative leader criticised over 'racist' social media posts

Councillor David Fisher, who represents Charlemont and Grove Vale ward, put forward a resolution at a full Sandwell Council meeting demanding all councillors pass a DBS check to ensure they are “fit and proper” to be elected officials.

However the spotlight has fallen on his own position after the emergence of social posts complaining "there are no white doctors and nurses" in the NHS and including comments about Wednesbury KFC selling halal meat.

Labour Warley MP John Speller said: "This is deeply disappointing and distasteful. The Conservatives in Sandwell must take immediate action. I would hope the Conservative MPs in Sandwell show they do not tolerate these type of comments."

The controversy comes days after Jalal Ahmed, who was the deputy chair for the West Bromwich East branch of Sandwell Conservatives, resigned on Friday afternoon and was forced to apologise to the West Indian community for using offensive language on social media.

The new leader of Sandwell Council Kerrie Carmichael told the Express and Star: "There is no place in Sandwell for this type of discrimination, especially coming from someone who wants to lead the council of a borough which includes so many different cultures and faiths."

John Edwards, who represented Greets Green and Lyng for 43 years, said: "This is deeply worrying that someone who aspires to be leader of such a multicultural borough holds such latent racist views.

"He might have changed his mind since then but the people of Sandwell deserve to know if his views are still so unsavoury. He certainly should resign if he still holds any of these views."

In 2016 Councillor Fisher retweeted an Asian junior doctor's complaint about a new NHS contract and said: "Leave then, plenty of overseas doctors would jump at the chance of working for the best health company in the world, the NHS".

He then complained about the colour of the nurses and doctors who have looked after him.

He wrote: "What are the government going to do about white representation in the medical profession. I dont know a white GP or Doctor."

Councillor Fisher also pledged to boycott a KFC branch due to it only serving halal bacon.

He said on Facebook on December 30, 2016: "Went to KFC on Junction 9 in Wednesbury today and was told I cant have bacon on the burger because "we" serve HALAL only. I could still have the burger but minus the bacon.

"We don't have a choice and its just being forced on us. Well I wont be going back soon."

He then finished it off with three "angry" emojis.

He also responded to the fact Yew Tree School had a halal menu by writing: "No choice in it mate. What if I don't want it suppose its just tuff then. We should have a choice not forced on us."

A veteran Sandwell Conservative member, who did not want to be named, said: "This is very embarrassing and upsetting as a long-standing Tory in Sandwell, the vetting procedures obviously failed when it came to Councillor Fisher. He must resign. There should have been red flags that he had been part of other political parties before joining us when we were obviously popular."

Councillor Fisher told the Express & Star: "I want to apologise wholeheartedly for comments that I have made several years ago that have come to light recently.

"They do not reflect me as a person and I have never been more proud to represent our diverse communities in Sandwell as Leader of the Opposition. Our boroughs diversity is proudly represented in the Conservative Group, in which 40 per cent of our sitting Councillors are from BAME backgrounds.

"Whilst none of my comments were intended to offend, and indeed I do not accept that all of the highlighted comments cause offence – in particular I will make no apology for asking people to respect the tradition of Christmas – I understand how some of my comments can be viewed as offensive.

"I can only apologise for the offence my comments have caused."