Mikeuk

Letter to The News, Portsmouth

Dear Sir

I was disgusted to read about the appalling manner in which Portsmouth South Tories have treated outstanding former Lord Mayor Elaine Baker.

Ten years ago, when I was an officer of that association and Mrs Baker was first selected to stand for the Council, she and I fell out very badly over a question of candidate selection. I subsequently stood a team of Independent Tories against the official candidates, three of whom failed to gain reelection as a result. Mrs Baker, however, was elected.

Subsequently she proved to be a hard-working councillor and a first-class Lord Mayor. As a result, my former antagonism towards her was replaced by admiration.

Obviously I have no personal knowledge of the particular racism and anti-Semitism of which Mrs Baker complains, but during my 30 year membership of the Conservative Party I was aware of the existence of both. Anti-Semitism was usually expressed furtively; racism much more openly.

I will take just two examples of many, I once had to speak sharply to a fellow-Tory (who went on to hold high office in the party) who solemnly informed me that The Holocaust was ‘a hoax’. On another occasion, as a judge of a regional Young Conservative speaking competition, I sat through a speech by a local YC chairman which was peppered with racial abuse. I was subsequently the only one of the three judges who took him to task for his actions. I could give many more examples of similar incidents.

The fact that the ‘Nasty Party’ now constantly assures us that us that it has ‘changed’ seems to indicate that it acknowledges that such conduct has occurred ‘in the past’. The stark fact is, however, that if any change has indeed taken place, it is simply a matter of window dressing. As Mrs Baker’s testimony proves, the racists and anti-Semites remain in the party; they are perhaps just a little more discreet these days about expressing their opinions on such matters.

Mike Smith