Possible results of another "Perceptions" step towards honesty in public life

Monday 30 April '01

You might've just read our challenge to a certain politician and his boss, and to cowardly media who failed to question blatant lies of politicians (& some media) aiming to inflame race hatred among uneducated folk link01 & link02 demrace-bbc

We sent the the challenge late Sunday night - when the culprits thought they faced only easily-disputed `political' opposition. So - what was their position ?

Well, here's an extract from the Monday early edition of "The Independent" - an English broadsheet. "By Andrew Grice, Political Editor 30 April 2001 Leading article: Mr Hague has ducked the duty of leadership on the issue of race William Hague's decision not to expel the Tory MP who sparked the party's civil war on race was condemned last night as pathetic and disgraceful ... In a last-minute effort to end the row, Mr Hague issued a blunt final warning to John Townend, the right-wing MP who last week accused Labour of regarding the British as a "mongrel race". The Tory leader warned him that he would be kicked out of the party if he repeated his remarks on race. Lord Taylor said Mr Hague's "disgraceful" decision on Mr Townend had changed nothing. "This is pathetic and typical of weak leadership," he said. "On at least three separate occasions Mr Townend has uttered racist remarks and William Hague has done nothing. What this decision amounts to is an acknowledgement that the party has a racist MP, but that he can remain a Conservative MP as long as he keeps his mouth shut." Mr Hague finally issued a "yellow card" to Mr Townend after mounting criticism by senior Tories of the leader's handling of the row. Until last night, he had refused to discipline Mr Townend, saying there was no point in such a "gesture" because he will retire as MP for Yorkshire East at the election. * Mr Hague faced further embarrassment over news that Tory MPs have tabled amendments to the Finance Bill that would benefit the spread betting industry. Stuart Wheeler, chairman of the IG Index firm, has donated £5m to the Tories"

Seems plain enough doesn't it? Those politicians thought they could get away with leaving race-hate lies in the public domain, without any challenge from the media. link01 Below is what happened later - during that same day, after they - and the cowardly Press - had read demrace-bbc. From "The Guardian" an English broadsheet Statements from John Townend and Willam Hague Special report: Racism in the UK Monday April 30, 2001 John Townend, Conservative MP for Yorkshire East: "I entirely accept that racism has no place in the Conservative party and am very sorry that ill-chosen words by me may have given a different impression. Accordingly, I withdraw the recent words which I have issued on the subject of race, apologise for the embarrassment which they have caused the Conservative Party, regret any offence which I have caused to others and undertake not to repeat them under any circumstances" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - William Hague: [Leader of the UK Conservative Party ] "In politics, issues blow up unexpectedly, but they do give you a chance to say who you are as a party. I want to say two things today: We mean business about being an inclusive party that has no truck with racism, and we mean business about being a disciplined party determined to win the election. Britain is made up of many ethnic communities. Conservatives believe that we are richer and stronger for it. I want people from all communities to feel at home in the Conservative Party, which means that racism can never be at home in the Conservative Party. I will not be driven by Labour's politically correct agenda that does not want to address their chaotic asylum policies, but nor will I allow John Townend's offensive remarks to be mistaken for those of the Conservative Party. Today I spoke to John Townend and told him that unless he was prepared to apologise for his ill-chosen words, withdraw them, undertake not to repeat them and accept that racism has no place in the Conservative party, then he could not remain a member of the Conservative party. He has today signed a statement to that effect. So we mean business about being an inclusive party that has no truck with racism" [ insert] = ours; bold = our stress of the two timing indications

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