EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson backs Colston statue survey
But the Prime Minister has reiterated his personal belief that "we can't tipp-ex out" history
The Prime Minister has offered his support to a survey asking Bristolians what should happen to the statue of Edward Colston, but reiterated his personal belief that we should not try to erase history we do not like.
His comments come after we exclusively revealed that the results of the survey will go before Bristol City Council in December.
Based on those results local politicians will then decide what should happen to the statue and its plinth long term, for example whether it should remain on display in a museum or face some other fate.
You can read more about the survey here.
During a recent visit to Bristol we asked Boris Johnson for his opinion on it.
"I think it's great that a public survey of this kind has been carried out and that Hits Radio is part of all that," he said.
"I approve very much of a democratic approach to this and I think that's why you have locally elected politicians, that's why you have a democratic process.
"If people feel very strongly that they want something to come down; they feel it doesn't represent the way they feel about their lives, their history or whatever, then we have a way of doing that."
The Prime Minister added however that he does not approve of people "tearing things down".
The Colston statue was forcibly removed from its plinth by Black Lives Matter protestors in June 2020 following the murder of black man George Floyd by a white police officer in the United States.
"I don't approve of that right, and I think that's wrong," he said.
"My general view on this if you want my sort of, where my gut is on this, I think that we should broadly recognise that we have an incredible history, not all of which we're necessarily proud of, but which we can't simply tipp-ex out, boundarise, censor...
"We can't be like some celebrity, going back over our Wikipedia entry and taking things out.
"I think it's much better if possible, to keep stuff as it is and explain it to people.
"Retain and explain would be my approach."
We asked him to clarify if he meant in an ideal world, he would like to see the statue back on its plinth....
"I think it's a matter for democracy," he said.
"I think local people should decide through the normal democratic processes, through planning processes which we've just been talking about.
"That's the way to do these things, but I'm giving you my instinct because, look around the landscape, the cityscapes, townscapes of our country.
"They are filled with things that, looked at in one way, can be deemed highly controversial.
"You start tearing it all down where do you end?
"Retain and explain would be my approach."