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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Tory candidates suspended over racist and inflammatory posts | Tory candidates suspended over racist and inflammatory posts |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Two Conservative local election candidates and a woman honoured with an MBE are among 40 new self-professed Tory members who have shared or endorsed racist and inflammatory Facebook posts including Islamophobic material, the Guardian has learned. | Two Conservative local election candidates and a woman honoured with an MBE are among 40 new self-professed Tory members who have shared or endorsed racist and inflammatory Facebook posts including Islamophobic material, the Guardian has learned. |
| The torrent of racist posts include references to Muslims as “bin bag wearing individuals”, calls for the “cult” of Islam to be banned and the Qur’an being branded an “evil book”. | The torrent of racist posts include references to Muslims as “bin bag wearing individuals”, calls for the “cult” of Islam to be banned and the Qur’an being branded an “evil book”. |
| One female Tory supporter even called for a boycott of Muslim-owned shops and endorsed another comment labelling the religion’s followers “sub-human” and “cockroaches”. | One female Tory supporter even called for a boycott of Muslim-owned shops and endorsed another comment labelling the religion’s followers “sub-human” and “cockroaches”. |
| Both of the council candidates – one of them claimed “Islamophobia was not surprising” in a rant about Muslims and said he would celebrate the death of the anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller – have now been suspended. | Both of the council candidates – one of them claimed “Islamophobia was not surprising” in a rant about Muslims and said he would celebrate the death of the anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller – have now been suspended. |
| It comes as the Conservative party faces mounting pressure over its handling of Islamophobia. The Conservative peer Sayeeda Warsi has said Theresa May is “burying her head in the sand” over the issue and has led calls for a party inquiry. | It comes as the Conservative party faces mounting pressure over its handling of Islamophobia. The Conservative peer Sayeeda Warsi has said Theresa May is “burying her head in the sand” over the issue and has led calls for a party inquiry. |
| Mohammed Amin, chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum, is also calling for party chiefs to hold an inquiry into Islamophobia. He told the Guardian: “The serious question the Conservative party has to ask itself is: what is it about the image that it is projecting that causes people with these views to think they belong in the Conservative party? | Mohammed Amin, chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum, is also calling for party chiefs to hold an inquiry into Islamophobia. He told the Guardian: “The serious question the Conservative party has to ask itself is: what is it about the image that it is projecting that causes people with these views to think they belong in the Conservative party? |
| “At the moment, it’s in complete denial about that question. It believes that tackling people one by one as they are exposed that somehow the problem will go away and I do not believe it will. It needs to hold a serious, independent inquiry both into its processes for dealing with issues like this and whether they are adequately transparent, and the even more fundamental question about the image the party is projecting to the British people, which makes people with racist and bigoted religious views believe that the Conservative party is the party for them. The people posting on Facebook certainly do believe that.” | “At the moment, it’s in complete denial about that question. It believes that tackling people one by one as they are exposed that somehow the problem will go away and I do not believe it will. It needs to hold a serious, independent inquiry both into its processes for dealing with issues like this and whether they are adequately transparent, and the even more fundamental question about the image the party is projecting to the British people, which makes people with racist and bigoted religious views believe that the Conservative party is the party for them. The people posting on Facebook certainly do believe that.” |
| A Conservative party spokesman said: “The large majority of these cases involve people who are not members of the Conservative party, and of the rest, many are historic cases that have already been dealt with. Where we have found evidence of discrimination or abuse, swift action has been taken.” | |
| The spokesman failed to say which of the 40 were not members or specify how many had previously been members or had their membership suspended. | |
| The new cases, evidence of which has been passed by the Guardian to CCHQ to investigate, bring the total number of self-professed party members exposed for social media posts in recent months to more than 100. | The new cases, evidence of which has been passed by the Guardian to CCHQ to investigate, bring the total number of self-professed party members exposed for social media posts in recent months to more than 100. |
| The posts have been unearthed by the anonymous Twitter account @matesjacob, who has been exposing racism online among Tories. Online posts have indicated all of the members have joined the Conservatives. Among the tranche of material are posts shared or endorsed by two Conservative candidates in next month’s elections. | The posts have been unearthed by the anonymous Twitter account @matesjacob, who has been exposing racism online among Tories. Online posts have indicated all of the members have joined the Conservatives. Among the tranche of material are posts shared or endorsed by two Conservative candidates in next month’s elections. |
| David Pulman, a retired air traffic control assistant who is standing as a town council election candidate in Hampshire for the Tories, wrote that Islamophobia is “not surprising” in a Facebook rant about Muslims. | David Pulman, a retired air traffic control assistant who is standing as a town council election candidate in Hampshire for the Tories, wrote that Islamophobia is “not surprising” in a Facebook rant about Muslims. |
| He wrote: “I guess people will stop being afraid of Islam … when the Islamic radicals stop beheading Christians, throwing homosexuals to their deaths from high buildings, beating women for disobeying their husbands, stoning to death the wife of a man who has committed adultery and generally trying to kill all non-Muslims and take over Christian countries? Islamophobia is perhaps not surprising?” | He wrote: “I guess people will stop being afraid of Islam … when the Islamic radicals stop beheading Christians, throwing homosexuals to their deaths from high buildings, beating women for disobeying their husbands, stoning to death the wife of a man who has committed adultery and generally trying to kill all non-Muslims and take over Christian countries? Islamophobia is perhaps not surprising?” |
| In response to someone posting a picture of the anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller, Pulman wrote: “I rarely feel like this, I’m ashamed to say, if that woman died, I’d celebrate!” | In response to someone posting a picture of the anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller, Pulman wrote: “I rarely feel like this, I’m ashamed to say, if that woman died, I’d celebrate!” |
| Pulman even endorsed a blogpost about the “destruction of the white race” which claimed that “non-white ‘migrants’ from Africa and the Middle East” were “flooding” Europe “disguised as so-called ‘refugees’”. | Pulman even endorsed a blogpost about the “destruction of the white race” which claimed that “non-white ‘migrants’ from Africa and the Middle East” were “flooding” Europe “disguised as so-called ‘refugees’”. |
| The post concluded that the migration was “not about humanitarian efforts to help so-called ‘refugees’” but a “well aimed settlement of non-white races into Europe and North America in order to enforce miscegenation [mixing of racial groups]”. | The post concluded that the migration was “not about humanitarian efforts to help so-called ‘refugees’” but a “well aimed settlement of non-white races into Europe and North America in order to enforce miscegenation [mixing of racial groups]”. |
| After a Facebook user shared the blogpost, Pulman replied: “Yes, known this for some time. About time everyone knew the facts!” | After a Facebook user shared the blogpost, Pulman replied: “Yes, known this for some time. About time everyone knew the facts!” |
| Pulman, who is understood to have since deleted his Facebook account and set up a new one, has been suspended from the party and is not actively campaigning for next month’s elections. The deadline for withdrawal of candidates has passed, North East Hampshire Conservative Association confirmed. He did not respond to a request for comment. | Pulman, who is understood to have since deleted his Facebook account and set up a new one, has been suspended from the party and is not actively campaigning for next month’s elections. The deadline for withdrawal of candidates has passed, North East Hampshire Conservative Association confirmed. He did not respond to a request for comment. |
| Robin Popley, 28, who is standing for the Conservatives in Leicestershire as a candidate in the Charnwood borough and Shepshed town council elections for Shepshed East, has endorsed Facebook posts suggesting Sajid Javid was appointed home secretary to secure “the ethnic vote” and criticising Prince Harry for having a relationship with “a divorcee of mixed race”. | Robin Popley, 28, who is standing for the Conservatives in Leicestershire as a candidate in the Charnwood borough and Shepshed town council elections for Shepshed East, has endorsed Facebook posts suggesting Sajid Javid was appointed home secretary to secure “the ethnic vote” and criticising Prince Harry for having a relationship with “a divorcee of mixed race”. |
| Popely “liked” a post that read: “I had a lot of time for Harry however his choice is way off. A divorcee of mixed race ‘actress’ who has shown her ass on HBO does not fill the bill to be royal imo [in my opinion]. This just makes a mockery of everything the Royal Family and Traditionalists stand for.” | Popely “liked” a post that read: “I had a lot of time for Harry however his choice is way off. A divorcee of mixed race ‘actress’ who has shown her ass on HBO does not fill the bill to be royal imo [in my opinion]. This just makes a mockery of everything the Royal Family and Traditionalists stand for.” |
| He “loved” another post made criticising the appointment of Javid which read: “It’s an appointment aimed at securing the ethnic vote. Purely cynical tactic from May. It should be on merit, not skin colour.” | He “loved” another post made criticising the appointment of Javid which read: “It’s an appointment aimed at securing the ethnic vote. Purely cynical tactic from May. It should be on merit, not skin colour.” |
| He also posted last year praising Enoch Powell on the 20th anniversary of his death. | He also posted last year praising Enoch Powell on the 20th anniversary of his death. |
| Popley did not respond to a request for comment. It is understood he has been suspended from the party. | Popley did not respond to a request for comment. It is understood he has been suspended from the party. |
| Replying to a post about a MailOnline article on Khan being accused of “politicising” a new year’s fireworks show by turning the London Eye into an EU flag tribute, a woman who has been awarded an MBE for voluntary work wrote: “It Is An Insult To The British White People Of This Country. If We Are Being Insulted In This Way Then Don’t Blame The Hate That Is Being Bred By This Government.” | Replying to a post about a MailOnline article on Khan being accused of “politicising” a new year’s fireworks show by turning the London Eye into an EU flag tribute, a woman who has been awarded an MBE for voluntary work wrote: “It Is An Insult To The British White People Of This Country. If We Are Being Insulted In This Way Then Don’t Blame The Hate That Is Being Bred By This Government.” |
| Another self-professed member complained of “bin bag wearing individuals”. | Another self-professed member complained of “bin bag wearing individuals”. |
| Tory activist sent Muslim minister emails praising Enoch Powell | Tory activist sent Muslim minister emails praising Enoch Powell |
| And a woman who said she had joined the party called for a boycott of “Muslim owned shops” and referred to Bangladeshis as a “sneaky sly lying race” after someone condemned the country’s migrants for owning homes and claiming benefits. | And a woman who said she had joined the party called for a boycott of “Muslim owned shops” and referred to Bangladeshis as a “sneaky sly lying race” after someone condemned the country’s migrants for owning homes and claiming benefits. |
| She also “liked” a post from another commenter who called Muslims “sub human” and “cockroaches”. | She also “liked” a post from another commenter who called Muslims “sub human” and “cockroaches”. |
| One female supporter claimed “all Muslim countries live in total chaos” and that “they come here, receive all the benefits … then want to take it over”. | One female supporter claimed “all Muslim countries live in total chaos” and that “they come here, receive all the benefits … then want to take it over”. |
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