Monday, August 17, 2015

Town councillor criticised for attending VJ Day commemorations in dressing gown and slippers

Dover Town councillor Graham Wanstall has been criticised for his inappropriate attire after turning up at the end of Saturday's Victory in Japan day ceremony wearing a dressing gown.

The Castle Ward councillor wore a grey dressing gown and slippers to the event at the war memorial outside the Dover Town Council offices. Mr Wanstall said he did not know the ceremony was happening, and arrived at the end of the event. He said: "I'm not a well man at the moment, I have had a serious heart operation.



"I could not physically get anything else on. The only thing I could physically put on was a dressing gown. I did not know about the Victory in Japan day ceremony. I did not go to attend the ceremony. I would not have gone to the council offices if I had known it was going on."

The councillor's arrival at the end of the ceremony was a shock to the crowd who had gathered to pay their respects to the war dead. Event organiser Augusta Pearson said: "The way he was dressed or his lack of clothing was an absolute disgrace to everyone there. It's an embarrassment. He did know the event was on. It's been on Facebook and in shop windows. It's been discussed in Town Council meetings on a few occasions."

2 comments:

WilliamRocket said...

Serious heart operation ???
Judging by the sling I would say he has had a stent or three put in.
Been there, done that, went fast pace walking the very next day.
Wouldn't trust this man.

Barbwire said...

He should have said he was trying to look Japanese. Japanese men wear shorter kimono-style robes.