Tory councillor suspended over picture at fascist rally

Tory councillor who claimed he was exploring a research interest in Oswald Mosley when he posed in ‘blackshirt’ uniform with fascist group New British Union is suspended – but denies authoring anti-Semitic posts written under his name on his website

• Kent county councillor Andy Weatherhead attended rally for New British Union
• He was photographed wearing a ‘blackshirt’ in the group, described as fascists
• Weatherhead was suspended by the Conservatives while claims are investigated
• The former UKIP candidate apologised over the ‘potentially upsetting’ images

A Kent county councillor who had ‘far-right Nazi’ interests has apologised after ‘potentially upsetting’ images emerged of him at a rally for fascist group New British Union (NBU).  

Cllr Andy Weatherhead took an interest in the group before joining the Conservative Party and was even photographed wearing a ‘blackshirt’, according to campaign group Hope not Hate.

Cllr Weatherhead has represented Hythe West on Kent County Council since last year and previously stood for election for UKIP four times.

Campaigner for Hope not Hate Gregory Davis declared Weatherhead was unfit for office and said he ‘cannot be trusted’.

‘It’s simple,’ Mr Davis said: ‘His history of fascist activism and antisemitism mean he cannot be trusted to represent the people of Kent.’ 

In a statement shared with local media, Cllr Weatherhead said he became aware of the New British Union ‘whilst undertaking research’ on Oswald Mosley in 2012 or 2013.

Cllr Andy Weatherhead held senior roles with the  fascist group New British Union before joining the Conservative Party

He said he felt the concept ‘very much echoed the political body that he saw had evolved into the European Union’. He said: ‘Therefore, to try and learn more about this political concept I contacted the then newly created NBU and became aware of their leader Gary Raikes.’

Cllr Weatherhead attempted to defend his involvement with the NBU and said that at the time the group ‘was not a registered political party and had no defined membership’. He added: ‘To the best of my knowledge, the NBU has never been proscribed or outlawed.’

Cllr Weatherhead attended two in-person events – one a meeting in Bedfordshire, and a rally in London. He claimed he did this to introduce himself and discuss policies.

Hope not hate said the London rally was organised outside the Greek Embassy in 2013 and was in support of the neo-fascist Golden Dawn movement, now banned by the Greek Government. 

Cllr Weatherhead argued: ‘I am not aware of any members of the Greek Political Party, Golden Dawn being in attendance.’

HNH has unearthed pictures of Cllr Weatherhead among NBU members wearing a ‘blackshirt’ uniform – reminiscent of those worn by Mosley’s British Union of Fascists in the 1930s. 

Cllr Weatherhead said: ‘With regard to the pictures taken, I completely agree that the optic of these pictures is poor and potentially upsetting for some. For this, I can and do sincerely apologise.’

HNH has unearthed pictures of Cllr Weatherhead among NBU members wearing a ‘blackshirt’ uniform – reminiscent of those worn by Mosley’s British Union of Fascists in the 1930s

Other connections to the NBU alleged by Hope not Hate included antisemitic blog posts published under names used by the councillor. Cllr Weatherhead said he ‘completely refutes’ this and that ‘should such have been published, they were not written by me personally.

‘If such were published under my name – then it was done so without my consent.’ He concluded: ‘In closing, without hesitation I offer my apologies to any person offended.’

He continued: ‘I however now look back on my actions during that period with regret and personal disappointment in my then poor judgmental choices at that time.’ 

Charities and nearby Dover District Council recently condemned hateful rhetoric and Nazi symbols that appeared in the town after an immigration centre was targeted by petrol bombs.

Cllr Weatherhead was elected to Kent County Council in 2021 and is thought to have run for UKIP four times before he joined the Conservative party. 

Hope not Hate has also called on the Conservative party to permanently expel him, writing to chairman Nadhim Zahawi and the party’s complaints department.

A Conservative Party spokesman said: ‘Mr Weatherhead has been suspended from the party pending investigation.’

Source: Read Full Article