These are not “black dolls”. They are not playthings. The origins of Golliwogs date back to the Jim Crow racial segregation laws of the American South - a time when black people were relegated to the status of second-class citizens and suffered terrible abuse. The racist origins of the doll, and the trauma they cause, is now widely recognised, yet in many towns around the UK they continue to be displayed and sold. This is an open display of racism which we must bring to an end.

In some parts of the UK, councils have already made it an offence to sell golliwogs. In 2009, Hamleys discontinued their sale, and as far back as the 1980s, Robertson's understood that the golliwog logo on its jam jars was a degrading depiction of black people and increasingly out of touch with modern consumers. 

My own life experience as a resident of Scarborough has shown me the urgent need to end their sale, and I am only now finding the language to defend myself. Seeing them in public spaces in the town I call home leads to a sense of distinct inferiority and is a daily reminder of the violence they symbolise. 

Small rural or seaside towns, and the gift shops where golliwogs are sold, are often tourist hotspots for families, children and school trips. Many of these children live in bigger cities and may be visiting the seaside for the first time. These visits should be a highlight of their childhood, but on these trips black children are being exposed to this racism, implying that the seaside and rural areas are places where they are not welcome

People of all races should be able to live in, and visit, towns like Scarborough and feel that they are safe places for them. Whilst golliwogs remain on sale this isn't possible. Let’s demand from our representatives that they understand the violence that these dolls represent, and make it an offence to sell golliwogs across the UK.