Councillor who called Ian Wright 'typical black hypocrite' resigns from Conservatives
Alexis McEvoy had faced calls to step down following the controversial tweet
Last updated 17th Mar 2023
A Hampshire county councillor has resigned from the Conservative party following after she called former footballer Ian Wright a “typical black hypocrite” in a tweet.
The New Forest councillor Cllr Alexis McEvoy described the former footballer Ian Wright, as a “typical black hypocrite” in a tweet, which included a devil’s face emoji, on Saturday (March 11th) in relation to the row over Gary Lineker’s comments on the government’s language on immigration.
Hampshire County Council has now confirmed her resignation from the Conservative group and all her county council roles. She also did not attend Thursday’s (March 16th) regulatory committee at Hampshire County Council.
In a statement the council said: “We are aware of comments made by Cllr McEvoy on Twitter. Racism in any form is abhorrent and in no way accords with the values of Hampshire County Council Conservative Group.
“Consequently, it has been agreed with Cllr McEvoy that she will resign from the Conservative Group at Hampshire County Council, from her County Council roles and from all her appointments to outside bodies. She will now sit as an Independent councillor.”
Cllr McEvoy sits on the New Forest National Park Authority, district council and county council.
The leader of the Conservative group at New Forest district council, councillor Jill Cleary stated: “Following receipt of a number of complaints regarding a social media post made (and then deleted) by Councillor Alexis McEvoy on her personal social media account, Councillor McEvoy is suspended from the District Council’s Conservative Group pending investigation.”
Earlier this week in a statement councillor McEvoy expressed her awareness of the tweet and the offence she caused and issued an apology stating “I did not mean it to do so and I am deeply sorry.
“I find racism in any form abhorrent, I have therefore reported myself to the monitoring officer at both Hampshire County Council and New Forest District Council.
“I have suspended myself from both the Conservative Groups… pending investigations.”
However, on Tuesday (March 14th), the Arsenal former player express his opinion on “Wrighty’s House” podcast about the councillor’s apology.
He said: “There is one person that I want to address directly: the Hampshire councillor Alexis McEvoy. I just want to say to her, please just keep your fake apology to yourself.”
Leader of the Liberal Democrats at Hampshire County Council, Keith House, said “This racist tweet was totally unacceptable from an elected councillor.
“It is right that both Hampshire and New Forest Councils now handle the Code of Conduct complaints in front of them but if it turns that Cllr. McEvoy did post this message then the only acceptable outcome is for her to resign from both councils.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “The Authority takes complaints against members very seriously and any complaint about this matter will be dealt with in accordance with the Council’s arrangements for dealing with complaints against members.”