Coy Responses from GBC Councillor on Questions Relating to Anti-racism March

Published on: 14 Aug, 2024
Updated on: 14 Aug, 2024

The anti-racism march in Guildford

By Martin Giles

The lead councillor for Community at GBC, Carla Morson, has ducked questions posed following the anti-racism march in Guildford on Saturday (August 10).

See: Anti-Racism March Demonstrates Against Anti-Refugee Riots

The Dragon NEWS asked Guildford Borough Council: “Could the relevant lead councillor please answer the following questions:

“Do you think everyone should be aware of the dangers of believing false reports on social media?

“We are not aware of any significant issues with the acceptance and housing of refugees here in Guildford. Can you confirm that is the case and say how many refugees Guildford Borough has housed in the last five years?”

Cllr Carla Morson

But Cllr Carla Morson (Lib Dem, Ash Vale) failed to answer fully and completely ignored the question about social media. She said: “As a council we are committed to supporting those impacted by violence in their home countries.

“We have a small, dedicated team of officers who work with the Home Office to ensure refugees are able to resettle in Guildford. Our local communities are incredibly supportive and we also have a host of volunteers who help our refugee families.

“One of our corporate priorities as a council is to ensure we are an inclusive borough where everyone can live well. Our support of refugees is one way in which we are ensuring we deliver on this essential priority.

“Guildford is a great place to live and the support our residents give to people who experience less advantage is a key factor in making us a great borough to live, work and do business.”

Government intends to educate schoolchildren about the dangers of social media

Inaccurate reports on social media have been blamed for sparking recent anti-refugee disorder across England and the Society of Editors, which promotes the importance of news media, has welcomed government plans to teach schoolchildren how to differentiate between fake news and accurate reporting.

Bridget Phillipson MP

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson, right, has announced a review of the primary and secondary school curriculum which aims to boost critical thinking and arm children against “putrid conspiracy theories.”

The plans could see English lessons used to scrutinise newspaper reports, comparing the style and language of trusted news platforms with that of fake news, while IT lessons could be used to teach pupils how to identify fake news websites.

Responding to the review, Society of Editors executive Dawn Alford said: “The recent far-right riots across the UK have, once again, shone a light on the dangers and damage that can be caused by fake news and misinformation online and we welcome the government’s recognition of the need for urgent action in this area.

“Alongside enhanced media literacy, it is essential that children and young people are given the skills from an early age to recognise fake information online and the work of the accredited media should be pointed to as a source of accurate and responsible news and information.”