Author Archives: Ian Manning

Ian Manning

On statues being pulled down and our response

By Ian Manning | Thu 11th June 2020 - 11:38 am

Embed from Getty Images

What should we do with people who tear down public statues? Apply restorative justice techniques.

As Liberal Democrats, I hope we all agree that the statue of Edward Colston should have been removed from its location a long time ago: it represented a very public promotion of someone whose wealth was built from vile acts.

In the back of our minds should be another question – what if a different statue had been pulled down? One where we didn’t quite agree whether it should still be there or not? Where the rights and wrongs of the person’s life weren’t as clear cut? Or where we didn’t feel there was a clear consensus?

More plainly: should we support those committing these acts being prosecuted or not?

We either take the punitive approach – a crime is a crime; or we allow it to pass, with the risk that mob rule ensues on any viewpoint that can get enough people together.

I don’t think we should take either view: we should apply a restorative justice approach to these acts.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 31 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • Mick Taylor
    @Jana. OK, so what services are you going to cut to get taxes down? We are being told we must pay MUCH MORE for defence. Are you going to cut education , NHS, c...
  • Jana
    @Jack With due respect, I work with young people who are at risk of becoming NEET and therefore know a large number of their families. There can be no doubt th...
  • PM
    @ Jack, Jana should probably have said they could be cheating the system. Even so it's rather OTT to say it her comment was disgusting. I remem...
  • Jana
    @Peter Wrigley “ But I do wish Liberals would stop using the phrase “tax burden.” I disagree with you on this. When I see how much I have to pay in Co...
  • PM
    @ Jenny Barnes, "Today’s pensions are paid from today’s taxes." Not if we think about the contributions that previous workers have provided...