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NEW: Tory MP Bob Blackman was exposed sharing a platform with Katie Hopkins & David Vance
ICYMI he has a long history linked to Islamophobia inc RTing Tommy Robinson
@Conservatives claim a "zero tolerance" policy: we know what that really means (thread) https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-bob-blackman-katie-hopkins-muslim-council-of-britain-a9613381.html
ICYMI he has a long history linked to Islamophobia inc RTing Tommy Robinson
@Conservatives claim a "zero tolerance" policy: we know what that really means (thread) https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-bob-blackman-katie-hopkins-muslim-council-of-britain-a9613381.html
History of Bob Blackman MP:
1. RTed Tommy Robinson
2. Hosted anti-Muslim extremist in Parliament
3. Shared fake news from anti-Muslim site
4. Shared an anti-Muslim Facebook post
5. Was part of anti-Muslim Facebook groups
6. Shared platform with Hopkins & Vance
*No action taken*
1. RTed Tommy Robinson
2. Hosted anti-Muslim extremist in Parliament
3. Shared fake news from anti-Muslim site
4. Shared an anti-Muslim Facebook post
5. Was part of anti-Muslim Facebook groups
6. Shared platform with Hopkins & Vance
*No action taken*
Here, Blackman claims he didn't know he was sharing a platform with Hopkins & Vance despite being on the agenda
But
- He chose not to say anything even when he apparently did find out
- Even now he chose not to apologise
Given his history, this is all the more unacceptable
But
- He chose not to say anything even when he apparently did find out
- Even now he chose not to apologise
Given his history, this is all the more unacceptable
On 1, here is Blackman retweeting an anti-Muslim post by Tommy Robinson. Despite claiming to be sorry for his RT of Tommy Robinson, he did not delete his tweet for weeks if not months after (source: https://twitter.com/miqdaad/status/926880848560914432)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/anti-muslim-post-retweeted-by-tory-mp-bob-blackman-g5sc2tjqn
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/anti-muslim-post-retweeted-by-tory-mp-bob-blackman-g5sc2tjqn
In fact, rather than being truly apologetic and regretting his actions, in this context of his RT of Tommy Robinson, he RTed another account that seems to specialise in hurling abuse at Muslims https://twitter.com/miqdaad/status/925268907476299776
On 2, Blackman actually *defended* his hosting of the anti-Muslim extremist and bigot (& apparent friend of Tommy Robinson) in Parliament. See Ghosh's vicious views in the image below
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41765962
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-41765962
Given these vile views by Tapan Ghosh, it's even more extraordinary that Blackman RTed a comment asking why there is so much fuss over Tapan Ghosh: a man who appears to have advocated genocide against Kashmiri Muslims.
This is not okay
This is not okay
On 3, Blackman shared a tweet by the website ShankhNaad, which has been repeatedly accused of publishing false stories designed to cause community tensions between Hindus and Muslims. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/muslims-want-tory-islamophobia-test-case-kbqkcz3jc
On 4, here is when he shared a story titled “Muslim Somali sex gang say raping white British children ‘part of their culture’” from the anti-Muslim website Hardcore News USA. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/tory-mp-bob-blackman-attacked-for-anti-muslim-facebook-post-vhtm3hwgw
On 5, Bob Blackman was a member of several Islamophobic Facebook groups.
e.g."Britain for the British" which has posts praising Hitler, wishing violence on Sadiq Khan, accusing him of being an "Islamofascist", "traitor" & hoping he dies https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/zm8zb3/tory-mp-with-history-of-islamophobia-was-a-member-of-racist-facebook-groups
e.g."Britain for the British" which has posts praising Hitler, wishing violence on Sadiq Khan, accusing him of being an "Islamofascist", "traitor" & hoping he dies https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/zm8zb3/tory-mp-with-history-of-islamophobia-was-a-member-of-racist-facebook-groups
The position that @Conservatives act "swiftly" to complaints of Islamophobia, have a "zero tolerance" policy on Islamophobia, or even give the slightest care in the world about Islamophobia, is an untenable position given the evidence and lack of action against this one MP
And this ignores the literally 100s of examples in this submission by @MuslimCouncil to the EHRC
https://mcb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200305-MCB-EHRC-Request-Conservative-Islamophobia.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/05/300-allegations-of-tory-islamophobia-sent-to-equality-watchdog
https://mcb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/20200305-MCB-EHRC-Request-Conservative-Islamophobia.pdf https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/05/300-allegations-of-tory-islamophobia-sent-to-equality-watchdog
