Sir Laurie Magnus (pictured) is promoting a policy of retaining contested statues alongside 'counter-memorials'
The head of Historic England has suggested that statues with links to slavery should be allowed to stay in place if 'counter-memorials' are installed alongside them.
Sir Laurie Magnus, who has been chairman since 2013, appeared during an online Policy Exchange conference to promote a policy of retaining contested statues.
But he suggested that authorities reflect on the events of last year that saw the likeness of 18th-century slave trader Edward Colston toppled in Bristol.
It was temporarily, and unofficially, replaced by a statue of Black Lives Matter demonstrator Jen Reid - who had been photographed atop the newly empty plinth with her fist raised after Colston first fell.