Now a Labour politician is ‘jostled’ and ‘prevented from speaking’ and Tories are on the defensive

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan recently visited Waltham Forest to speak to voters. Conservative activists protested and allegedly disrupted the event. Labour MP Stella Creasy claims they were “jostling him and preventing him speaking to voters”. A local man, meanwhile, reportedly asked Khan xenophobic questions.

Disappointing to be asked today in Waltham Forest by some Tory activists “if I was British" and "who I support in the World Cup". Not the London so many of us know and love. https://t.co/snR3IlDHRm

— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) February 17, 2018

“Disappointing” comments

The Mayor of London claims that Tory activists asked him these “disappointing” questions. But they say otherwise. As E17 Conservatives replied:

Sadiq, for the record this was a local resident and not one of our activists. The same local resident also made a racist remark in front of two of our Muslim Cllr candidates. Agree totally unacceptable behaviour.

— Walthamstow Conservatives (@E17_Tories) February 17, 2018

Creasy repeated Khan’s claim:

You know this kind of behaviour is not ok or democratic. I am also now hearing one of your members asked Sadiq who he supports at the World Cup too. Really shocked as never would have expected such behaviour from you all. Hope you will investigate and act.

— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) February 17, 2018

Local residents and Conservative campaigners were angered by the fact they would have to pay the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) charge of £12.50 to drive to their local hospital. This is part of Khan’s plan to crack down on London’s deadly air pollution.

Tory councillor Emma Best also denied that E17 Conservatives had anything to do with the derogatory remarks:

Stella please pull the other one, if we advertise a public rally w/ cabinet member labour will be there to ask difficult questions – which is a democratic right. I’ve been there many times before! People can protest in public – this wasn’t a private event disrupted.

— Emma Best AM (@emmabest22) February 17, 2018

Creasy accepts she may be mistaken about whether the man making the xenophobic comments was one of the Tory activists. But she adds:

Emma I am reading and from the reports I have heard it was Tory candidates there and who lost their cool and were shouting and pushing! what made you think disrupting an event a democratic thing to do? Good to hear though that man not one of yours and you agree unacceptable.

— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) February 17, 2018

Chingford councillor Andy Hemsted chimed in. While it’s not clear if Tory activists were guilty of the “jostling” involved, Hemsted does appear to justify it, as Creasy says.

https://twitter.com/andyhemsted/status/964867741902626816

Andy how can you justify shoving and pushing the mayor of London to get your point across? You know I have spoken out against such anti democratic behaviour from all sides and really surprised to hear Waltham Forest Tories think this was ok.

— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) February 17, 2018

Xenophobia in the UK

Regardless of who directed the comments at Khan, the point is that someone thought they were acceptable questions to ask the Mayor.

A report [pdf] titled Discrimination in the EU in 2015 highlights that the UK, by some measures, is one of the least racist countries in Europe. British people were surveyed about whether they would feel comfortable with their sons or daughters being in a relationship with a Black, Asian, or Jewish partner. And 81% [p23], 80% [p23], and 81% [p36] respectively said they would. The most accepting country by this measure was Sweden, where the figures were 89% [p23], 92% [p23], and 87% [p36].

Only 69% [p35] of parents surveyed in both Sweden and the UK said they would be comfortable with their children dating a Muslim. And these were the most accepting countries overall.

In Hull, a newly opened Asian clothing store was recently vandalised. The UK, in general, has been seeing a rise in hate crimes against ethnic minorities.

The EU report may indicate that the UK has less of a problem with racism than other countries in Europe. But this doesn’t mean it isn’t a big issue – both in the UK and in more tolerant European countries. And Khan’s recent experience in Chingford shows how xenophobic attitudes can be subtle but still very troubling.

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Featured image via screengrab