ANGER is a legitimate part of politics. The anger that I feel about cuts to our health service, tuition fees and the loss of free school meals for over a million children in poverty is what first drove me to join the Labour Party.

On Monday night we approved the successful bidder for the Central Club.

To carve a path of clarity through the widespread misinformation, the site, which has been derelict for over a decade has been offered to the bidder on a 999 year lease.

The site will be redeveloped with housing, on top of a rehearsal space for Reading Between the Lines, a local theatre company.

Most importantly, the iconic Black History Mural will be retained and whenever the space is not in use, it will be available for local groups to hire.

At the meeting I made a commitment to driving for the space to be accessible to groups and individuals of the black community. I am still committed to this.

However, whilst anger can be a positive driver of social change, it can also become a dangerous tool when coupled with misinformation. In the era of fake news, it serves some well to slander independent processes and cheapen experiences of racism.

It has been a considerable fall from grace for Aspire who once had the sympathy of members of the black and wider community.

This has descended from shouting down councillors in community meetings and falsely claiming they had offered the Council £10 million pounds for the site, to interrupting formal proceedings with accusations of racism and throwing racial slurs at the only black woman ever elected as a councillor in Reading.

Every time I walk into the council chamber, I am painfully aware that I am the only person from an African Caribbean background in the room.

To deliberately mislead the public and to degrade the very real experiences of racism within our community for profit, does a disservice to every black and ethnic minority person who has ever suffered racist abuse and violence.

Personal attacks, it would seem, are a poor substitute for concrete finances and legitimate arguments.

I have a long record of organising Black History Month events, speaking out against racism and challenging fascist groups and hate speakers.

I am a member of the group which brought back our much loved Reading Carnival and in my day job, I manage a project which encourages young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to apply to higher education.

After eight years of government cuts, at a £1 million loss to the Council of potential profit, we have saved the mural and ensured redevelopment and a community space on the Central Club site.

I am proud of the role I’ve played in this process and with the attacks on the Windrush generation, it is vital that the contribution of the black community will not be forgotten in this town. I know that our decision will mean that the mural can continue to inspire generations to come