Middlesbrough councillor sorry over 'offensive' Facebook posts

A councillor has apologised after sharing social media posts described as "ignorant and offensive".

Middlesbrough's Dennis McCabe shared a post which read "White lives matter!!! Bet you won't repost", while another claimed people sailing to the UK on rubber dinghies were "fast tracked" to council houses with benefits.

Mr McCabe said he did so without giving the content proper consideration.

Two council group leaders have called for him to resign.

Amid Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd in America, Mr McCabe shared a further post on his private page which said there had been "total silence" over thousands of British white children being groomed and raped while the "world had exploded" over the death of one black man.

The Independent member for Trimdon, who is also the council's executive member for the environment, shared another message questioning why there were no demonstrations over the fatal stabbing of seven-year-old Emily Jones in Bolton earlier this year.

Councillor Matt Storey, leader of the Labour Group, labelled the posts "ignorant and offensive", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"Middlesbrough is a tremendously diverse town and that diversity is one of our greatest strengths, something which is clearly lost on Councillor McCabe.

"He should consider his position and at the very least he should resign from the Mayor's executive [team]."

Also calling for him to stand down, Councillor Jon Rathmell, leader of Middlesbrough Independent Councillors' Association, said the posts could "cause community tensions".

"These posts have no place in today's society," he added.

Mr McCabe has removed the messages from his page and apologised.

"I've been active on Facebook and hastily shared a handful of things that, if I'd been more considered, I wouldn't have done," he said.

Middlesbrough has seen a number of Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the wake of Mr Floyd's death.

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