‘PURE RACISM’

White London Official Faces Probe After Quipping About His ‘Tan’ at Black History Month Event

Darren Rodwell was wearing a traditional African hat when he started his speech at the event.

A white council leader in England is facing an investigation after saying at a Black History Month event that he had “the worst tan possible for a Black man.” Darren Rodwell, who leads the Barking and Dagenham Council in London, also said: “I have the passion of the rhythm of the African and the Caribbean. I used to do swing dance, because I used to love jiggling about.” Rodwell was recorded making the comments while wearing a kufi—a traditional cap worn in some parts of Africa—and draped in a Black History Month flag. The Telegraph reports that Rodwell’s left-leaning Labour party is currently looking into the incident ahead of a full investigation. “Local members are very angry about this and are protesting this, which they see as pure racism by Darren Rodwell,” a local source told the newspaper. Last month, the Guardian reported that Rodwell accepted around $11,000-worth of free soccer tickets from a Los Angeles movie studio.