White Poppy sellers cause a stir on campus

By Ruairi O’Connor and Luke Smith

The controversial White Poppy was being sold at De Montfort University today (Nov 8th)  by two students outside the new Students’ Union Building.

The White Poppy is distributed every year to thousands of supporters by the Peace Pledge Union (PPU).

 

On its website, the PPU says: “There are three elements to the meaning of white poppies: they represent remembrance for all victims of war, a commitment to peace and a challenge to attempts to glamorise or celebrate war.”

The lead distributor, Reece Stafferton, a 20-year-old Drama Student at DMU, said: “I abstain from wearing the red poppy, not because I am against remembering war victims, but mainly due to the controversy surrounding the Royal British Legion.”

He highlighted the high salary for the RBL’s Director General (Charles Byrne), which he did not think was right for a charity.

Third Sector reported that the Director General of The Royal British Legion earns over £140k per annum.

When asked whether he was against the ideologies of the Red Poppy, Mr Stafferton said: “I am against some of the militarism surrounding the Red Poppy.

“For instance, it is often pushed onto school children and supported by large organisations, like the scouts, who promote and sell it.

“The government as well holds some quite strong opinions about the Red Poppy and supports the Royal British Legion a lot more than other charities.”

Mr Stafferton added: “To me it represents all the victims of war, not just the soldiers, but the civilians too.”