ALMOST 3,000 people responded to a T&A poll relating to the Sir Robert Peel statue in Bradford and 90 per cent are against the removal of the monument.
There has been a campaign right across the country to remove controversial statues, as part of anti-racism protests in response to the death of George Floyd in the US.
A statue depicting slave-trader, Edward Colston, was torn down by campaigners at an anti-racism protest in Bristol on Sunday.
The focus shifted to Sir Robert Peel this week and a petition emerged to remove the statue celebrating him in Peel Park, in Undercliffe.
Sir Robert Peel (second baronet) was a two-time Prime Minister and is often confused with his father (first baronet), who shared the same name and benefited from the slave trade.
The first baronet raised a petition in opposition to the Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill which he saw as a threat to the cotton industry and merchants’ trade interests.
But the second baronet, who is the figure depicted in statues across the country, had no direct link with the slave trade.
Shumona Hussain set up the initial petition and also called for Peel Park itself to be renamed.
But, a counter-petition, to keep the statue, was quickly created in response by Jayden Raw.
Both petitions were set-up on the change.org website.
There were 125 signatures on the petition to remove the statue, while 1,308 people signed to say they want to keep it, as of 5pm on Thursday, June 11.
The T&A also asked its readers what their views on the matter were, with a poll on the story about the original petition.
There were 2,888 responses, as of 5pm on Thursday, June 11, with 90 per cent showing their support for the statue.
The councillors who represent the Bolton and Undercliffe ward - Councillor Suhail Choudry (Labour), Councillor Rachel Sunderland (Lib Dem and Independent) and Councillor David Ward (Lib Dem and Independent) - had a small meeting yesterday afternoon where the matter was discussed briefly.
Cllr Ward believes we have to avoid polarised views on the issue, but agrees monuments, statues and street names should be reviewed.
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