A Herefordshire town councillor has sharply criticized an upcoming event designed to engage the public in shaping Hereford’s new museum, branding it an exercise in “woke virtue-signalling”. The event, titled ‘Contentious Narratives’, is part of a series organized by Herefordshire Council’s museums and galleries department aimed at encouraging community discussion on how museums should handle issues such as fake news, misinformation, and contested histories.
Damian Etheraads, head of the department, explained that the event will explore how to present complex or controversial subjects with integrity, aiming to resist harmful ideologies while avoiding dogmatism. This conversation is intended to help inform the exhibits of the £18-million new museum and art gallery set for development on Broad Street, ensuring the displays reflect the values and interests of local communities.
However, Coun Ewen Sinclair of Ledbury expressed skepticism and frustration on Facebook, accusing the council of funding an event designed to impose a specific viewpoint. He questioned discussions around misinformation and disinformation, implying dishonesty in the process. Sinclair urged residents to attend the event to challenge what he described as “self-promoting, virtue signalling, woke and aggrandising” behavior and criticized the use of council tax funds for this purpose.
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A council spokesperson clarified that the event is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the museum project’s community outreach efforts. They emphasized that the goal is to give people insight into the redevelopment plans, including the underlying values and principles, without instructing attendees on what to believe.
The event will be held at the History Store, the council’s museums repository in Friars Street, Hereford, on Saturday, June 7. It is free and open to the public, with no booking necessary.
Coun Sinclair has faced previous disciplinary actions; in February, he was formally rebuked by the Herefordshire Council standards panel for an altercation with a resident. Since his unopposed election in October 2021 to the Ledbury West parish ward, this marks his third breach of the councillors' code of conduct.