British councillor sparks race row after claiming it would be 'awkward and uncomfortable' for white council staff to work with black colleagues

Every time minorities do something obnoxious, Leftists rush to assure us that it is just that they have a different culture.  So it seems reasonable that different cultures might not mix well

A councillor has sparked a race row by claiming that white council officers would not be able to work with their black colleagues.

Jeffrey Tucker, who represents Rainham on Havering Council, said it would be like throwing an African football team and an English team together and expecting it to work.

He slammed proposals to combine the back office services of Havering and Newham councils in east London in a bid to save cash.

Mr Tucker said white staff would find it 'awkward and uncomfortable' to work with black workers.

The shopkeeper's incendiary comments were last night branded 'dangerous' and 'extraordinarily offensive' by a top London Assembly member.

Mr Tucker, who leads the Independent Residents' Group that includes Havering's only black councillor, also stuck the boot in to neighbouring Newham by labelling it 'filthy'.

The married dad said he's been losing sleep over the staff merger because he's so worried by it.

Mr Tucker, who's owned Rainham Goldmine jewellery shop for 23 years, said: 'I think it's a terrible idea. I can't see the two councils being able to work together. We've got 95 per cent white English workers in Havering Council and Newham Council is 95 per cent not white English.'

But Andrew Boff, London Assembly's Conservative group leader, said he was 'dumbstruck' by the attack.

Mr Boff, 55, said: 'There's an inference that people of African origin can't get on with people who are ethnically white. That's deeply offensive. I can't understand why, in 2013, this councillor seems to think that an attitude that separates people because of race is OK.'

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