Museum talk 'woke virtue-signalling' - councillor

Sinclair hit out at the event in a post on Facebook

A Ledbury town councillor has claimed an event to chart the direction of Hereford's new £18m museum and gallery will be an exercise in "woke virtue-signalling".

The free event by Herefordshire Council's museums and galleries department, called Contentious Narratives, will look at how museums should respond to fake news and misinformation, at the History Store on 7 June.

Councillor Ewen Sinclair said the organisers would "tell people what to think", as he hit out at the event in a post on Facebook.

However, a council spokesman said: "In the upcoming session, we won't be telling people what to think."

The lottery-funded session was to give people "the chance to understand how we're approaching the redevelopment of the museum, not just what the plans are, but the thinking, values, and principles behind them", he said.

The head of Herefordshire museums and galleries, Damian Etheraads, said the discussion would help shape displays based on what matters to communities.

Building work is due to begin shortly on the Broad Street museum.

Damian Etheraads said the talk would help shape displays at the museum

Sinclair's post said: "Herefordshire Council are funding an event to have an 'open' discussion, then the organiser will tell you what to think.

"He is going to discuss 'fake' news and 'misinformation'. Anyone who says disinformation and misinformation, is probably lying."

In February, Sinclair was rebuked by Herefordshire Council's standards panel over an altercation with a resident.

It was the third time he was found in breach of the town councillors' code of conduct since being elected in 2021.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.