Three cheers for those brave souls who toppled the statue of slave owner Edward Colston. What a great sight to see him meeting his watery grave as a result of his past cruelties.

All the commentators, intellectuals, historians and rag bag of toffs who are wheeled out on various current affairs programmes to carp on about using democratic means to remove this hated icon, should be reminded that no democratic process was engaged in to put the statue in place.

In fact the majority of the British population were not enfranchised at the time of its erection. The same commentators burble on about the good that these slavers did with their wealth and the need to preserve historical monuments, but not it seems if the statues are Saddam Hussain, Stalin, Ceaucescu (add any name here, as long as they are not a hated British historical figure).

When statues are toppled in other countries this is generally described and hailed as a ‘great outpouring of popular sentiment’ but the same actions in Britain as ‘wanton vandalism’.

No doubt there will be other statues meeting the same fate as Edward Colston.

The Great British Empire grew and prospered on slavery and exploitation across the world.

The figurehead of the British Empire has ruled for over 350 years without one democratic vote ever being cast in its favour. Plenty of statues to choose from there!

Rob Marland

Riverside Road, Watford