Gwent Police said it would “not be taking any further action” about the leaflet.
The force was called in over a leaflet distributed in David T.C. Davies’s Monmouth constituency in response to the local Labour-controlled council’s plans to build a site for gypsies and travellers.
The postcard-style leaflet asked residents, “Did you know the Labour-controlled county council wants to create gypsy and traveller sites in your area?”
It then went on to ask, “Would you like to see a traveller site next to your house?”
The leaflet became the subject of a complaint to Gwent Police and an advocacy group, Travelling Ahead, said the MP’s “actions intended to create a hostile environment for gypsies and travellers.”
“There is no doubt that this was targeted at gipsies and travellers. They are protected under the Equality Act and there is a duty to not incite hostility or opposition based on race,” she added.
Romany gypsies and Irish travellers are covered by the protected characteristic of race under the 2010 Equality Act and councils have a duty to “actively seek to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and promote good race relations.”
Ms. Aspinwall said some travellers had been in contact with her, saying they feared the leaflet would create hostility.
There have been gypsies in Britain since the 16th century although today the community includes a mixture of Irish travellers, those of Roma origin and so-called New Age travellers.
Relations between gypsies and local residents can be tense, with travellers often being blamed for petty crime, fly-tipping and other anti-social behaviour.
On Tuesday, in a statement emailed to The Epoch Times, Chief Superintendent Carl Williams said, “We launched a review into the contents of a leaflet published and distributed in Monmouthshire regarding proposals for a development of a gipsy and traveller site.”
‘We Will not be Taking any Further Action’
Mr. Williams said, “Any allegation of discrimination is taken extremely seriously and following this review, we will not be taking any further action.”In the leaflet, Mr. Davies was quoted as saying Monmouthshire County Council had left insufficient time for a proper consultation with members of the public who would be affected.
“The council plans a short consultation during the summer holiday period when many residents will be unable to participate,” the leaflet said.
There are an estimated 15,000 gypsy and traveller caravans in England and local authorities are under certain legal obligations to provide permanent sites.
The deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, said: “I think what David T.C. Davies was doing was highlighting the failure of the local Labour council to carry out a proper consultation on this, that is entirely what people would expect their local members of Parliament to do. He is standing up for his constituents, making their case for them and I totally support his right to do that.”
Mr. Davies said: “The location of authorised and unauthorised traveller sites is a legitimate matter for public debate and scrutiny. It is entirely valid to criticise a lack of wide public consultation by a council.
“I have been contacted by many upset residents at the shortness of the consultation and the proposed locations for the sites,” he added.
Mr. Davies said: “I have also been told that many from the gypsy and traveller community are also upset at the proposed locations for the sites. This is not a criticism of the gypsy and traveller community.”
