WARWICK District Council’s deputy leader has resigned her leadership position following a ‘racist’ tweet.
Coun Moira-Ann Grainger, who has also stepped down from her responsibility as portfolio holder for culture and neighbourhood services, acknowledged a tweet sent was potentially damaging to the council.
It was first posted last year and deleted after a complaint, but was recently reposted in a twitter thread.
In the tweet Coun Grainger posted: ‘I am going to choose a random Indian landline number and ask the person who picks up the phone if they have had an accident in the last three years.’
A district council spokeswoman said: “Coun Moira-Ann Grainger has resigned her leadership position and responsibility for the portfolios for culture and neighbourhood services.
“In resigning, coun Grainger personally accepted responsibility for her twitter account and acknowledged the tweet was harmful to the high standards required in public life, potentially damaging the good standing of the council.”
The tweet had led to the Labour group calling on the Conservative coun (Warwick All Saints and Woodloes) to resign, saying ‘trust between the council and community need to be restored’.
A spokeswoman said: “Warwick district is a diverse and tolerant community where residents deserve for their representatives to value and treat others with respect.
“The councillor’s derogatory views simply have no place in the council’s leadership. Her positions, especially as deputy leader of the council and portfolio holder of neighbourhood and culture, have become untenable.”
