Diversity Hire Rebecca Knox stumped by simple question.
Councillor Rebecca Knox, the chairwoman of the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, was caught flatfooted this week when questioned by Reform MP Lee Anderson during a session of the House of Common's Home Affairs committee on Wednesday.
Responding to assertions that the authority was 'institutionally racist', which Knox said she agreed with, Anderson asked "Could you please tell me, councillor, what unfair advantages white people have in your force?"
"I would hope none, not advantages. Did I hear you correctly?" replied Councillor Knox.
"So then how can you be institutionally racist?" Anderson countered.
"Um... I, uh, sorry, I might have to get back to you," she said.
Councillor Knox, a member of the neo-liberal Conservative Party, later claimed that female and minority members of the service previously had a lack of 'safe spaces' to air their grievances, but that the authority has been seeking to rectify the situation.
Speaking to GB News on Wednesday evening, Anderson said of Knox "I think this is a case of a boss just ticking a box." adding "She is admitting they're racist, when it probably isn't, just to keep a job, it's pathetic. It's virtue signalling at the highest level. The thing is, she is the boss. She's admitted they're institutionally racist then couldn't provide any evidence to back it up."
Despite her posturing, Knox later admitted to MPs she hasn't spoken to victims of misogyny and harassment at her service, despite it being claimed firefighters at the service photographed dead women and shared the images on WhatsApp groups.
Councillor Rebecca Knox was also asked by MPs on the Home Affairs Committee if she has spoken to any of the female victims.
"No I have not spoken to directly [to them]", she said.
When asked by chair of the committee, Dame Diana Johnson, if she wishes she had spoken to victims, Ms Knox said "I'm there, I'm visible, anyone can come and speak to me within the service but it wouldn't have been appropriate for me to go and seek out individuals."
Ms Johnson responded "I find that incredible that you have a role of governance over an organisation and you didn't think you should speak to women who had been abused by the organisation."
Knox stood by the Chief Fire Officer last year when he said the service "didn't have a problem with women", despite an investigation revealing sexual harassment and abuse of women at the service. A damning report in November 2023 found that Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service has "an underlying culture of misogyny and sexism" but again no evidence could be provided.
The Dorset and Wiltshire Chair admitted she felt responsible for the scandal at her service. "I personally feel responsible, because I deeply care about the fire service", she said.
Knox stood by her previous statement that the service does not have a problem with women "We absolutely do not have a problem with employing women." she said.
She insisted "we positively encourage the employment of women", but acknowledged "there are issues women face in the service".
Ms Johnson told Knox she was "forced to act" on the allegations "because of the exposure in the media", but Knox refused to accept that was the case.
Full transcript of the Home ffairs Committee here. https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/14542/html/