The statement by the Warwickshire Council leader
George Finch, leader of Warwickshire County Council and a member of Reform UK recently issued this statement (Quoted material here includes characterisations of LGBTQ+ people which some readers may find distressing, and which do not represent the views of the Bylines Network.) :
Safeguarding children and ensuring the neutrality of Warwickshire’s libraries.
In the last week, a number of Warwickshire residents have pointed out to me that libraries in our county have been promoting contested gender ideology. As taxpayer funded institutions, Warwickshire County Council’s libraries should be politically neutral, family friendly and not seek to embolden political ideologies. These are highly charged and polarizing issues and should not be taught to children as pure fact. These are fundamental principles for the Reform UK administration in Warwickshire. To combat this trend, my administration will begin work on a comprehensive policy to strengthen neutrality, increase safeguarding, and provide parents with peace of mind that their children are not being told to believe one set of political ideas over any other. This policy will cover not just our libraries, but all Warwickshire County Council-owned public spaces. The role of a library is to provide access to information and ideas, and the Council should not be actively promoting contested political or ideological causes to children. Materials focused on adult themes such as sex, gender identity, or contested social and medical issues must be handled in an age appropriate and responsible way. Any policy that we bring forward will be developed thoughtfully and lawfully. Our principle on this matter is simple. Warwickshire County Council should inform and serve residents, not campaign at them.
Censorship across Reform council areas
First, this seems to be an edict issued by Reform HQ as other counties, such as Essex and Staffordshire, have removed LGBTQ+ displays from their libraries. Warwickshire is the only one I know of where the Leader says he is responding to a number of concerns. He has not supplied evidence of the complaints nor their specific grievances.
As a former children’s librarian, I have direct experience of attempted censorship of books. The removal, restriction, and suppression of reading material is an age-old problem. Currently these attempts to restrict young people’s reading seem to be targeted at materials addressing LGBTQ+ issues. It directly challenges intellectual freedom and access to diverse information. Requests to remove books often come from parents or political groups who say their aim is to protect moral or societal values. By withdrawing diverse resources, we limit children’s ability to learn empathy, engage with different perspectives, and see themselves represented in literature.
Whilst working in public libraries, I experienced several attempts to censor library stock including a parent wishing me to withdraw art books from the library’s shelves, because they featured paintings or sculptures of nudes. Books featuring Black people of note were the subject of complaints as well as those about political figures of the time e.g. Mao Tse-Tung. I had parents complaining about Judy Blume’s books, which were aimed at a teenage audience, because they featured girls going through puberty and parents who were divorced.
As far as censorship challenges in libraries go, there is rarely anything we have not experienced before as a profession. Societal tastes change over time. No-one would now bat an eyelid at an ‘easy reader’ on Mao Tse-Tung, much less accuse the librarian of trying to subvert the children who used the library. And so, Reform UK seek to stir up outrage about libraries stocking books reflecting LGBTQ+ issues. Library associations, such as CILIP in the UK, and educational trade unions actively oppose book removals. They advocate empowered, well supported librarians and urge schools and public libraries to maintain diverse, inclusive collections. As the US librarian Jo Godwin said “A really good library has something in it to offend everyone”
Letter asking Cllr Finch to explain himself
I wrote to George Finch on 30 June; I await his response.
Dear Mr Finch,
As a former children’s librarian, I take great exception to your suggestion to ban certain books from display in Warwickshire libraries. Libraries are public institutions that exist to serve their communities, and that is everyone living in those communities.
The missive is headed “Safeguarding children and ensuring the neutrality of libraries.” A library can never be neutral except by absence. Libraries work to professional standards. They are curated by trained staff. Age appropriateness is an essential ingredient of the choices made. My professional body, CILIP treats freedom of access to information as a core ethical duty. It is not an optional extra. A library is one of the few places left where no one expects anything of you and you don’t need money to spend. Many authors have mentioned their experiences of using libraries in their childhood. Every child deserves to find themselves on the library shelves and to discover lives unlike their own. No one is being told “to believe one set of political ideas over any other.” You say that the role of a library is to provide access and information to ideas. It seems that it’s just the ideas you don’t approve of.
Yours faithfully, Meg Gain
Making a stand against Reform UK censorship
A scrutiny meeting was held on 1 July at Shire Hall, Warwick. About 50 people turned up to demonstrate their disapproval. They came from all five of Warwickshire’s districts or boroughs and included home educators, former librarians, members of a library book club, and the Chair of Pride, Nuneaton.
Cllr Bannister (Reform UK Nuneaton Abbey) and portfolio holder of resources and internal affairs dismissed the assembly of over 50 demonstrators as “20 people at best”. He accused them of “thinking they represented all the people of Warwickshire”. Finch and his deputy James Crocker, were seen to nod in approval. Seven members of the public were allowed to address the meeting. They questioned the evidence to support such a review, the resources to monitor it and whether recent complaints about senior Reform UK councillors would undermine public confidence.
Cllr Bannister accused the protestors of “living in a tent at the bottom of the garden without a BBC licence” if they were unaware of this “subject of national discussion”.
A lack of respect for the concerned residents
A Liberal Democrat councillor, David Curtis (Stour and the Vale) responded to say that “there has been a staggering lack of respect shown to the residents who have taken time to come here to express their views”. He went on, “I am reminded of a quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth …A tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.
Cllr Keith Kondakor (Green Party Weddington) commented that “the council gets thousands of complaints about potholes and other issues…. but libraries are the one thing we do not have complaints about”.
The scrutiny meeting was convened to provide feedback on the review process itself, covering its scope and those tasked with carrying it out. The Lib Dems put forward a motion to abandon the review, but it was defeated by Reform, Conservative and Restore Britain councillors. However, the original review process was to be carried out by three Reform UK cabinet members, and this has now been amended to include members from other political parties.
Author and member of Atherstone Library Reading Group, Heide Goody, attended the protest. She was one of those who were allowed to ask questions at the meeting. She told me “I was frustrated by the lack of respect that Councillor Bannister showed for members of the public who attended the meeting. It felt as if he wanted to belittle us and dismiss our questions”.
The conclusion of the review of displays and promotional material in libraries and other council facilities is not expected until September/October.
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