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Swayne warned by party over appearances on Ritchie Allen show
EXCLUSIVE: Conservatives say he has apologised and been "warned about his appearance with those who share views not fit for public life"
January 31, 2021 10:39
EXCLUSIVE: Conservatives say he has apologised and been "warned about his appearance with those who share views not fit for public life"
January 31, 2021 10:39Conservative MP Sir Desmond Swayne has been warned about his appearances and connections to people who share antisemitic views, the party has confirmed.
The New Forest West parliamentarian also said he wished to apologise if he had “offended the Jewish community” after appearing on The Richie Allen Show - an online radio programme broadcast from Salford that has previously featured multiple antisemites and Holocaust deniers.
On Friday, the JC revealed how Sir Desmond admitted he was “tempted” to join an anti-lockdown protest in central London led by the notorious conspiracy theorists Piers Corbyn and David Icke.
He also wrote on his website blog that he had donated money to a campaign to support Jeremy Corbyn’s brother after he was fined for breaching Covid-19 prevention laws at the protest.
In a statement, the Conservative Party confirmed to the JC: “Desmond has apologised and been warned about his appearance with those who share views not fit for public life and his appearance on a radio station where these views are promoted.”
It is understood that party chiefs warned the MP about appearances and association with those deemed to hold antisemitic views.
Anti-racism organisation Hope not Hate reported on Thursday that the Tory MP had appeared on The Richie Allen Show last November, where he said that while coronavirus was a “serious disease”, we needed to have a “sense of proportion”.
Sir Desmond tweeted on Thursday: "I have never expressed antisemitic sentiment and if I'd ever given comfort to antisemites I'd be mortified. I do wonder what I'm going to be accused of next.
But the MP has now added: “I was not aware of the history of this show and had I known my appearance on it would have offended the Jewish community, I would not have appeared on it. I apologise for any offence given.”
On Saturday, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove suggested disciplinary action could still be taken against the Conservative backbencher after he refused to apologise over controversial remarks to vaccine sceptics.
But Mr Gove added he was sure that Sir Desmond , a former minister, would say sorry over comments made in November saying that Covid figures were being “manipulated” and that intensive care occupancy levels and excess death rates were not out of step for the time of year.
In a statement the Conservative Party told the JC: “Desmond’s views on Coronavirus are not shared by the Party and have been condemned.
“The Government is taking world-leading action to tackle the Coronavirus.”