Tory website axes Jasper "lynching" remark

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Tory website axes Jasper "lynching" remark
6/7/2007

AN INDEPENDENT Tory website removed a comment suggesting that London mayoral race advisor Lee Jasper should be hung from a flagpole outside City Hall.

Lee Jasper

Conservative Home, a site regarded as Tory members' favourite blog, removed the posting after Blink highlighted it.

The offensive comment was posted amid a discussion about hoisting the Union Jack outside London City Hall.

Tory assembly member Roger Evans wrote: "There are three flagpoles at City Hall, so we could fly the Union flag, the St George Cross and something else..."

Another member, using the name Genuine Conservative replied: "Personally Roger I would suggest Lee Jasper for the third flagpole."

Yesterday Sam Coates, deputy editor of Conservative Home, deleted the comment by Genuine Conservative but claimed it could have been sent by a Labour member out to cause trouble.

Coates said the message boards did not reflect the editorial policies of the website but any offensive comments would be removed immediately.

He said the posting in question was an "obscure, ambiguous comment" adding: "It's not about a black man, it's about Lee Jasper who happens to be black."

Coates, sounding emotional, said he was referring the original Blink article to his lawyers and that he took the article "quite personally."

The Blink article, published yesterday, quoted an outraged campaigner who said: 'This is sickening. The comment is clearly meant to imply a lynching. It shows that for all David Cameron's talk of compassionate Conservativism, this is really where such Tory members are at.

'Why single out a black man, Lee Jasper, for this comment? He was not part of the discussion before that. Cameron should condemn such Deep South elements in his party.'

The "lynching" remark came during a discussion about Harrow councillor Lurline Champagnie's bid to be the Tory candidate for Mayor of London.

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