Councilors’ “Big Fat Gypsy Cesspit” comments investigated as furious Travellers meet Council Leader

Above: Thurrock Councillor Mark Coxshall, said a local Traveller site would end up looking "like a cross between My Big Fat Gypsy Cesspit and Shameless"

A CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR in Thurrock, Essex, has landed in hot water after he claimed that an unauthorized Traveller site would end up looking like a “big, fat gypsy cesspit.”

The remarks were made in a Thurrock Conservative group press release celebrating the refusal of a retrospective planning permission to allow members of the Ward family to continue to occupy their own land in Southend Road, Corringham.

In the press release, Cllr Coxshall stated that: “The council has made a real mess of this by not nipping the issue in the bud at the start, now they have not got their planning I am pleased, but this is not going to be a quick conclusion to the issue, as I am sure this will go to appeal. The travelers' (sic) are already started to bed in for a long stay; they have permanent power and water. We all know what happens next, they start building walls and fences and we end up with a section of Stanford that looks like a cross between My Big Fat Gypsy Cesspit and Shameless.”

The Travellers Movement was passed a copy of the press release and complained to Thurrock Council who is now investigating Cllr Coxshall under its own code of conduct. A spokesperson from the Travellers Movement said: “We believe that Cllr Coxshall has very publically failed to promote and support high standards of conduct by leadership and by example. We believe that his remarks will be seen as racist and insulting by many Gypsies and Travellers and that remarks like this are unacceptable from an elected leader in a civilized country.”

A spokesman for Thurrock Council said: “These were comments written in a political press release issued by the opposition group on the council. The comments in no way reflect the policy or position of the council as a whole.” They added that the comments were being investigated as “a matter of urgency.”

Essex police also received complaints and told the Travellers Times that they were “ascertaining whether a crime had been committed” following “allegations of criminal activity”. Essex police would not be drawn into discussions as to how far their investigation had gone, but normally the police would decide if a crime has been committed and then pass on their findings to the Crown Prosecution Service who would decide whether to prosecute.

Without for one second suggesting that Cllr Coxshall may or may not be guilty of any offence, which is the job of the legal system – the Travellers Times looked into how the law deals with allegations of racism. A spokesperson at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) described how the law worked in general. He said: “First the police decide whether a crime has been committed, and if they decide it has, the details are sent to the CPS who decides whether there is enough evidence to prosecute”. According to the CPS website, a “hate crime” is a criminal offence – like theft or assault - that has been aggravated by racial hatred and abuse. If there is no crime in the first place then it cannot be aggravated by racial abuse.

However, another race-related criminal offence is incitement to racial hatred, which is described under section 17 of the Public Order Act 1986. According to the CPS website, the test for incitement is set very high: “Stirring up racial hatred means more than causing hatred. It must be a hatred that manifests itself in such a way that public order might be affected.”

Following local press coverage of Cllr Coxshall’s remarks, Thurrock Council Leader, Graham Farrant visited Buckles Lane, a large authorized Traveller site in South Ockendon, to hear the concerns of the newly formed local Traveller community group, the Buckles Lane Association. One member of the Buckles Lane Association told the Thurrock Gazette that: “It’s the marking of everyone, labelling us all “cesspit gypsies”. I work for the NHS, if I said something like that I would be fired, I think it’s very unfair.”

“Our children will suffer and be picked on at school. It’s like going back to the 60s, it’s ridiculous. How are we supposed to move on? Times are hard for Travellers and this is just enticing hatred for our people.”

Another member of the Buckles Lane Association told the Thurrock Gazette that: “I think he should resign and at least make a public apology. Across the country, these comments have been seen by Travellers in Cardiff, Liverpool, all over the country. We’re working together to put a petition together.”

Speaking to the Travellers Times, Councillor Mark Coxshall defended his remarks and spoke about how he has helped “legal” Travellers in his area in the past: “I utterly refute any suggestion the comments were in any way racist,” he said.

“They were not about all travellers. I have no problem with travellers who abide by planning law and I have no desire to get into a row with the wider traveller community. I have a legal traveller site in my ward and I support its occupants.

“My comments were about the illegal site. I certainly do not apologise for taking a hardline approach against illegal sites. It is very dangerous to make the leap that comments which may not be politically-correct are, by definition, hate-fuelled.”