By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

ST ANNE’S MP Adrian White is facing backlash for describing Free National Movement (FNM) supporters as “sensible” voters and singling out Englerston as the only constituency that has never backed the party.

“Sensible people vote FNM,” he said during a recent Love 97 talk show interview. “Every constituency has voted FNM except Englerston. Every seat has voted FNM, so every seat can be seen as a sensible seat. Why some seats don’t determine that they are going to vote FNM in particular elections are down to the consideration of the factors that are affecting them. The FNM is the party of sense.”

His comments triggered swift criticism from Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin, who said her constituents were offended and called on Mr White to apologise in the House of Assembly.

“I think the member – just my advice – ought to consider making an apology to the people of Englerston,” she said. “Because in his innuendo, either direct or indirect, is an assertion that the people of Englerston ain’t got no sense.”

Mr White attempted to clarify his remarks yesterday, insisting he had not intended to insult anyone’s intelligence.

“All seats would qualify as sensible seats since at one time or another they all voted FNM, all except Englerston,” he said. “Point for me being that voting FNM was sensible and it was worth considering what happened when those seats did not vote FNM, why they didn’t.”

He said the discussion on the radio show escalated when the host asked whether his comments implied non-FNM voters were unintelligent.

“Those were not my thoughts,” he said. “He eventually put it to me asking if

I thought people that vote FNM are sensible, and I replied, yes.” Mr White dismissed claims that long-standing FNM constituencies are blindly loyal, saying such suggestions are insulting.

“People have said you could run this creature or that type of creature and the people there would still vote FNM,” he said. “To me, that’s insulting and a dismissive misconception. My preference is to recognize those seats as sensible seats."

In Parliament, Ms Hanna-Martin vigorously defended her constituency, invoking its political legacy and its residents' contributions. 

"People of Englerston are decent, hardworking and they play their part in developing the overall national profile positively in this nation," she said.

“They are peaceful, they are industrious, they represent every sector in the economy... in the health-care sector, in education, in tourism, in the church, and as entrepreneurs.”

She denounced Mr White’s remarks as a “derogatory slur” and accused him of trying to belittle and intimidate voters.

Highlighting what she called the irony of the situation, Ms Hanna-Martin said: “The host of the show, his grandmother is from Englerston – Podoleo Street no less – and she produced a son who is the ambassador to the United States.”

Mr White, in turn, accused Ms Hanna-Martin of launching a racial attack during her contribution.

“Today, during her member statement time, Englerston mentioned an oppressor UBP connection before getting to the meat of her contribution, which was a racial attack on myself,” he said. “That’s her divisive decision. The future will tell if that’s the type of leadership wanted in the next 50. The days of racial division tactics should be behind us.”

He added: “Politics is a rough game. You take your licks as well as you give them, and you move on with the other cheek.”