Lib Dem Stephen Williams has come under fire for his comments
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
MP for Bristol West Stephen Williams has been forced to defend himself over claims that an influx of Somali immigrants has led to pub closures.
The Lib Dem minister for communities made his comments during a House of Commons debate as the government unveiled new plans to protect pubs valuable to local communities.
He said immigrants replacing “white working” class people in his constituency had contributed to a downturn in trade.
But today he said the comments were “taken out of context” as he faced criticism from Somali community groups in Bristol.
In his speech in parliament he argued against blanket protection for every pub in the country as some new communities do not drink alcohol.
He said: "In my own constituency, lots of pubs have closed but it is usually because of demographic change.
"Particularly in some parts of my constituency, which used to have ... 'a white working class community' 20 or 30 years ago are now populated primarily by recently-arrived Somalis and other people.
“Obviously the pubs in that area have closed.
“Some have been converted to other uses, some of them actually are still derelict.”
Today Mr Williams called the comments, which originally appeared in the Telegraph, a “total misrepresentation of my words”.
He said: “It was a debate on planning policy and I pointed out commerce changes in response to population change. Not judgemental, just fact!”
He also criticised the Conservative agenda of the Telegraph for running the comments, calling the paper the “Torygraph”.
It is estimated that Bristol has a Somali population between 10,000 and 15,000. Easton, which is in Mr Williams' ward, is the home to the majority of the Somali population and Somali businesses of Bristol.
A Lib Dem source told the Bristol Post that it is believed the Telegraph has been targeting Mr Williams and called the latest article a "gross misuse of that he has said".
Stephen Williams’ comments in the House of Commons in full:
“A blanket protection for every single public house in the country, which is what the new clause envisages, would protect pubs that for various reasons are no longer enjoying the patronage of the community.
“In my constituency, lots of pubs have closed, but it is usually because of demographic change. Some parts of my constituency, which had a ‘white working-class community’ 20 or 30 years ago, are now populated primarily by recently arrived Somalis and other people. Obviously the pubs in those areas have closed, and some have been converted to other uses, but some of them are still derelict.
“Is the hon. Gentleman really saying that in all those circumstances, whatever they might be, full planning permission should be required simply to change the use of a former pub to something that may be of benefit to the community?”
“The Government are proposing to look at the public houses that are genuinely popular and valued by the community now, giving them the protection that is already allowed under the Localism Act, and further enhancing that protection under the planning laws, saying, “You cannot convert this pub into another use or demolish it without planning permission.”
“That should address all the worries that people rightly have about the pubs that really are important to them.”