Reply to comment

A LIBERAL Democrat councillor has apologised after standing up in the Town Hall chamber and saying Conservative parliamentary candidate Chris Philp reminded him of "a Nazi stormtrooper from Schindler's List".

In a statement of apology released this afternoon (Tuesday), Councillor Nick Russell said: "I regret I made an unacceptable error of judgement in the heat of the moment and the hothouse of the chamber. I immediately withdrew the offending remark and apologised unreservedly to Chris. I am grateful that he generously accepted that apology."

There was uproar when Councillor Nick Russell made the comment at the full council meeting last night (Monday). Members of both the Conservative and Labour contingent at the Town Hall demanded an apology and Cllr Russell immediately said he 'withdrew' the comment and apologised directly to Cllr Philp, who is running for Parliament against Glenda Jackson in the new constituency of Hampstead and Kilburn. 

Cllr Russell was shouted down before he could say why Cllr Philp, who represents Gospel Oak on the council, reminded him of one of Adolf Hitler's brownshirt paramilitaries, so chillingly brought to the movie screens by Stephen Spielberg in the 1993 film Schindler's List.

Councillors in Camden regularly use the full council meeting, a session where all members are expected to attend, for knockabout gibes and one-upmanship, especially when an election is looming. But the nature of Cllr Russell's comment was considered outside of the informal boundaries for political banter they have set for themselves over the years.

Some Lib Dems were cringing as he spoke. Cllr Philp had just delivered his own speech, defending his decision to campaign on health issues, particularly the removal of a stroke unit at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. Directly after he had finished, Cllr Russell stood up and said: "Chris Philp always reminds me of a Nazi stormtrooper in Schindler's List."

Cllr Philp later said he accepted Cllr Russell's apology.

Labour deputy leader Councillor Jonathan Simpson had suggested Cllr Russell discuss his comments with Ed Fordham, the Lib Dem candidate who is running in the same poll as Cllr Philp and Ms Jackson and whose recent holiday to Israel was described as a "publicity tour" ahead of the vote.

Conservative councillor Keith Sedgwick was among the protesters visibly angry and shouting for an apology from the Tory benches.

Senior Lib Dems are understood to be unhappy at the tone of the comment and will advise Cllr Russell to be more careful about his choice of words in future speeches.

"To his credit, he apologised straight away - he didn't mess about, he said sorry ," said one. "It was said in the heat of the moment and he has apologised for any offence caused."

Rather than sharing insults, the Lib Dems and Conservatives are supposed to be working together in a pact to run Camden Council. Tonight's (Monday's) meeting was, however, marked with evidence of a more fraught relationship as the boroughwide elections in May - and the General Election, likely to be held on the same day - gets nearer. Labour councillor Theo Blackwell described the frayed relationships as "fighting like ferrets in a sack"

 

Check www.camdennewjournal.com and Thursday's print edition for more stories from Monday's Full Council meeting at the Town Hall