The events of a couple of months ago involving Hounslow Councillor Phil Andrews and Manria Kaur, speaking on behalf of an anti-racist group have left me feeling a little annoyed. She accused him of being a racist, and although it was not all that recently, tarnishing a reputation by such accusations is something that will live on in people’s memories, true or not.

It is true that Phil Andrews has a racist history, being a member of the National Front from 1977 and 1989. However, it is important to remember that he is no longer involved with this organisation, having left some 21 or so years ago. When asked if he felt shame looking back on this period of his life he answered, ‘‘Indescribably so. However, I do feel that my experiences as a leading fascist over such a long period of time, although I regret them, leave me uniquely placed to work against racism and the BNP today.’’ This shows he uses what influence he has to fight racism and so I believe for him to claim he still holds these racist values is unfair.

Andrews is convincing on the subject of how it is possible to fundamentally change. When asked he said, ‘‘Why not, when such a viewpoint is so fundamentally wrong? When I ceased to be involved with the far-right I had just turned thirty. At the same age Benito Mussolini and Sir Oswald Mosley, who both for all their faults were highly intelligent men, were socialists. And yet is there anybody who would seriously question the authenticity of their subsequent conversion to fascism?’’ He has acknowledged that some people find it hard to believe in the change or forgive the past but one questions whether Manria Kaur is one of these people or whether her motives for criticising him are more politically based.

To conclude, racism is definitely an issue that needs addressing however I believe false accusations are just as wrong as genuine racism and people should be very careful before labelling others as racist without good reason.