Buckingham Cllr Geraldine Collins shared racist online post

Buckingham councillor Geraldine Collins breached the town council code of conduct when she forwarded racist social media content on her personal Facebook account in August 2020, a Bucks Council sub-committee found.

The findings were due to be discussed by the Buckingham Town Council (BTC) on May 9. “However, some councillors have asked that the item be brought forward to enable the matter to be dealt with straight away,” the town clerk said.

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Cllr Collins will now face her colleagues on Monday next week (April 11). She is also facing pressure to step down by Black Lives Matter Buckingham (BLMB).

It is alleged that on August 4, 2020, Cllr Collins reposted a “racist post” on her personal Facebook account to fellow councillor Lisa O’Donoghue.

In it, a third party posts: “A passage written by an Englishman about the current situation in HIS homeland – that is thought provoking and is equally relevant in any other (once) white country”.

It goes on to ask, “why whites are considered racist and no other race are”.

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It also makes generalisations about “offences by particular ethnic groups and the treatment of the police”- and “unjustified and generic attacks on a section of the public purely on the basis of their race”.

“You rob us, carjack us, and rape our daughters. But, when a white police officer arrests a black gang member or beats up an Asian drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist,” the original post reads.

It appears Cllr Collins forwarded the post to Cllr O’Donoghue, writing “thought this was good”.  Cllr Collins’ profile picture at the time was of her in mayoral dress.

Portions of the full FB post forwarded by Cllr Collins in 2020

It remained visible on both accounts until deleted around December 20 that year.

Complaints about the post were made to the council.

In December 2020, Cllr Collins reported to Thames Valley Police (TVP) she had been the recipient of “nasty and libellous” correspondence, alleging someone had been ‘impersonating’ her on Facebook.

“Cllr Collins disputed the allegations in that she denied that she had reposted the post and put forward an explanation that her Facebook account had been hacked or impersonated,” a recent council notice.

However, the sub-committee found on “the balance of probabilities” Cllr Collins’ Facebook account “was not hacked or impersonated” and therefore she “had re-posted the post”.

It found:

• Cllr Collins “re-posted and endorsed” the original post in the public domain
• Cllr Collins gave the impression of “acting as a representative of the council”
• The reshared post was “unacceptable” and a breach of the code
• The repost is not protected under “right to freedom of expression” (Article 10, ECHR)

“The sub-committee found that Cllr Collins endorsed and reposted a Facebook post while giving the impression of acting as a representative of Buckingham Town Council (BTC),” a decision notice said.

“The Facebook post contained comments which were offensive and subjected groups of people to personal attack.

“The repost and endorsement of the Facebook post was found to be offensive, subjected groups of people to personal attack and was disrespectful and inappropriate.

“The repost and endorsement were not part of a legitimate public debate or political expression and the repost did not attract the protection within Article 10.

“It was found that such conduct breached Paragraph 1 of the Buckingham Town Council Code of Conduct.”

The sub-committee made the following recommendations:

• BTC to have equalities training, including Cllr Collins
• BTC to have training for use of social media

“I’m delighted it’s finally come out but I also don’t feel the wording is strong enough because it doesn’t go straight to talking about this being a racially motivated statement that she made – and it was,” Rebecca Clark, BLMB, talking to Bucks Radio.

“We hope that she will stand down and make acknowledgement of her actions.”

Cllrs Collins and O’Donoghue were unavailable for comment.