Byline: WAYNE NOWACZYK
A VETERAN Welsh councillor has been found guilty of using "racist, discriminatory and inappropriate" language to describe a job applicant. John Major, a Conservative councillor for Magor, in Monmouthshire, was taken to a tribunal after being accused of describing an Asian job candidate as a "brilliant breath of fresh air... shame he's black."
The Adjudication Panel for Wales ruled in using thos e words the 79-year-old was "racist, discriminatory and inappropriate" failing equality guidelines and bringing him and Monmouthshire County Council into dispute.
But the panel meeting at Newport's Hilton Hotel decided against acting against the former soldier for teasing a tanned colleague as being "half a wog" - because it was said after a community council meeting ended.
They decided it was "neither necessary nor desirable to suspend, partially suspend or disqualify" the former planning chairman, who conceded he had joked with an old colleague using the term "wog".
Mr Major's solicitor had earlier told the panel he intended to retire from his seat in May 2012 and had lost out financially because of his suspension by his party. The tribunal, however, instructed Monmouthshire County Council to instigate equality training for all councillors.
Afterwards, Mr Major - a founding member of the authority - was unabashed about the allegations brought against him. He said: "I'm not racist. I represent everyone no matter what their gender, race or deviation - I treat them all the same."
Mr Major confirmed the cost of his legal defence - estimated at around pounds 20,000 - would be paid by the council's insurers, since no penalty had been imposed, and criticised wasteful spurious complaints.
He insisted he had supported the outstanding job applicant by saying "AND he's black" but claimed there was nothing malicious in his observations.
Mr Major said he saw no reason to resign from his post. "I did say to a colleague of mine of five years who'd been on holiday: 'You're almost half a wog', in a jocular fashion but didn't intend any insult to him or anyone else. I feel I'm capable of representing everyone and will stay in office until May 2012."
But speaking after the result, Naz Malik of the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association, criticised the decision not to suspend Mr Major.
He said: "If David Cameron sees multi-culturalism failing but wants to make us all feel a part of the Big Society then he needs to act against people in his own party who show this kind of racism and nastiness and expel him ort at least withdraw the party whip. The tribunal has failed us in not punishing overt racism and they should resign for not doing their job."
Labour councillor Armand Watts, who represents Chepstow on Monmouthshire council, made the original complaint against Mr Major.
Yesterday, he rejected his colleague's suggestion that the "deeply offensive" remarks had been taken out of context. He said: "Once again, a Conservative politician has reminded the public that the Tory Party is still the nasty party it always has been.
"This comes just a few days after the Western Mail reported two Conservative Assembly candidates are being investigated internally after making offensive and sexist jokes on the internet.
It seems the Welsh Tories are completely out of touch with what is acceptable in modern day life."
A spokesman for the Welsh Conservatives said: "The Leader of Monmouthshire County council reported this case to the Standards Committee two years ago. While an adjudication panel has thrown out one accusation against Councillor Major, another has been upheld without any sanction imposed.
The Welsh Conservative Party nowawaits the panel's full report on its judgements and Councillor Major's own decision on whether or not to appeal. There is absolutely no place for any form of racist comment within theWelsh Conservative Party. Equality training for all councillors at Monmouthshire County Council is now being implemented by its Leader."
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