Reform MS deletes Rule, Britannia! post celebrating London as ‘our nation’s capital’

Emily Price 

A Reform MS has deleted a jingoistic social media post soundtracked by ‘Rule, Britannia!’ in which he mocked a statue of a Black woman as “the odd one out” while celebrating London as “our nation’s capital”.

Caerdydd Penarth MS Joe Martin published the post to Facebook on Monday afternoon (October 26) – but less than a day later it was removed.

It featured four images of statues standing on plinths in London’s Trafalgar Square.

Three of the statues photographed by Martin depicted white men – British Army general Henry Havelock, King George IV and British Army officer Charles James Napier.

The fourth image showed the recently unveiled ‘Lady in Blue’ sculpture, depicting an anonymous Black woman wearing a bright sky-blue dress and heels striding confidently into the future.

The statue has generated significant controversy and debate since its unveiling, with some commentators critical of the artwork’s highly exaggerated physical proportions.

Right-wing critics have condemned the installation, portraying the contemporary Black “everywoman” as a deliberate attempt to overshadow traditional British heritage.

While American artist Tschabalala Self has acknowledged that people have different tastes in art, she has identified racism as a driving force behind the hostility and violence directed at her work.

Captioning all four images, Martin wrote: “Our nation’s capital. Spot the odd one out.”

He dubbed the post with the British patriotic song ‘Rule, Britannia!’ performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Before the post was deleted, several social media users criticised Martin, who serves as Reform’s shadow minister without portfolio, pointing out that he represents Wales and its capital is Cardiff.

It is unclear why the Reform MS deleted the post, although a political source suggested it may have been because it failed to get the reaction he had hoped for.

It is not the first time Martin has backtracked on social media posts designed to provoke a reaction.

Earlier this month, he posted Ring Doorbell video footage he said he had obtained from a friend, of a Black man on crutches who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis.

Martin described the man as a “migrant” who “shouldn’t be here”

The video was available to view on the Reform politician’s Facebook page for a few hours before it was deleted.

It came after Martin deleted a separate video he made suggesting a 75-year-old woman from the Philippines was draining British taxpayers money.

In the days leading up to his post, footage of the woman praising the the NHS during an interview with a GB News reporter had gone viral on social media.

Right-wing commentators accused the woman of moving to the UK to take advantage of free healthcare and welfare without contributing to the system.

It later emerged that the pensioner had lived in the UK for decades, spending most of her working life at a British university and paying substantial taxes before retiring.

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