Tory councillor suspended for racism

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Ziggy

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A former Tory Parliamentary candidate was suspended by the party last night after complaining that people bidding to become an MP did not have ‘normal’ English names.

One email said: ‘I have been contacted by a Mr Dilon Gumraj and a Zerha Zaidi and others who are all on the approved Conservative Parliamentary Candidates list.

‘Not one of them has a ‘normal’ English name.'

‘Why are the Candidates Department so keen on these foreign names? Maybe I should change my name to something foreign – how does Petrado Indiano Hobbinso sound to you?’

Mr Hobbins also said he was fed up with reading about ‘Africa’ on the CVs of would-be candidates.

Chuka Umanna, Labour’s Parliamentary candidate for Streatham, South London, said: ‘The language used by Councillor Hobbins – shortlisted by David Cameron to run London – is offensive in the extreme and shows his party has not come to terms with modern Britain.

Source.
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I lol'd.

He has a point though. :eek:
 
Von Smallhausen said:
Racism or ignorance ?

Probably the latter but don't let that put off the armies of offended by proxy.
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This.

It's entirely innocent I feel. If I said to my mum I was going with Iqbal, Rashid, Oman and Urfan for lunch - she would comment similarly.

He was commenting on the presumably disproportionate frequency of traditionally 'foreign' names on the list.

Just as it touches on racial issues doesn't mean it's racist.
 
The more I learn about the conservative party, the more I would prefer another term of labor.

Better the devil you know...
 
I don't see the problem with these non-English sounding names, lets face it most political parties are considering all-female shortlists, so being sexist is OK, but being racist isn't?

Inconsistency alert!
 
meghatronic said:
This.

It's entirely innocent I feel. If I said to my mum I was going with Iqbal, Rashid, Oman and Urfan for lunch - she would comment similarly.

He was commenting on the presumably disproportionate frequency of traditionally 'foreign' names on the list.

Just as it touches on racial issues doesn't mean it's racist.
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But its completely inappropriate for someone in power to have these views, especially if they want a lot of control in London.

Say what you want behind closed doors, but to say it in public shows a complete lack of awareness of what this country is.
 
lambda said:
But its completely inappropriate for someone in power to have these views, especially if they want a lot of control in London.

Say what you want behind closed doors, but to say it in public shows a complete lack of awareness of what this country is.
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No, I disagree completely. If he had acted on those views, i.e. I won't shake the hand of anyone with a foreign sounding name, that is totally unacceptable for anyone - in power or not.

He made an observation, his views are irrelevant. I'll quote again: "Not one of them has a ‘normal’ English name..... Why are the Candidates Department so keen on these foreign names? Maybe I should change my name to something foreign – how does Petrado Indiano Hobbinso sound to you?"

Where does he say I hate anyone that has a non-normal name.

I refer back to my post #8 and Von's comment.
 
It's all part of the policy of positive discrimination, which is a fundamentally flawed practice. That's not to say we don't need a diverse government, but artificially screwing statistics doesn't help.
 
lambda said:
Say what you want behind closed doors, but to say it in public shows a complete lack of awareness of what this country is.
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On the contrary, proper debate on racial and immigration issues has been stifled and had a taboo stamp on it to the point that the mere suggestion of any problem is met with a barrage of accusations.

What this country is, is a PC infested minefield where common sense was flushed away a long time ago.
 
If you knew Streatham, you'd know a black candidate was necessary.

He's quite right on the point that the applicants keep mentioning Africa on their CVs.
This isn't Africa.

Labour will always hold this seat because they give money to people who contribute nothing to society. Same goes for Lewisham.

The Tories are a bunch of filthy crooks, and New Labour are a bunch of Stalinist nutcases...
 
Burnsy2023 said:
It's all part of the policy of positive discrimination, which is a fundamentally flawed practice. That's not to say we don't need a diverse government, but artificially screwing statistics doesn't help.
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When people like Peter Hobbins are at the end of recruitment decisions, a little of of positive discrimination is required, unfortunately.
Politics is just a big popularity contest full of old boys, and the comment from this guy just supports the view that the Tory party are a bunch of white upperclass toffs, who are only interested in looking after their own.

Intolerance towards foreign names is a part of life for ethnic minorities, but to have powers-to-be broadcast they have the intolerant views is just stupid, which is why he got suspended.

A slightly less PC culture shift would be positive, but to make stupid comments about foreign names isn't the way to create change.
 
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