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| Andrew Sabisky: No 10 urged to examine vetting after aide quits | Andrew Sabisky: No 10 urged to examine vetting after aide quits |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government needs to "look at" its vetting processes following the resignation of a Downing Street adviser, a business minister has said. | The government needs to "look at" its vetting processes following the resignation of a Downing Street adviser, a business minister has said. |
| Kwasi Kwarteng said past remarks made by Andrew Sabisky, who quit on Monday, were "racist" and "totally unacceptable". | Kwasi Kwarteng said past remarks made by Andrew Sabisky, who quit on Monday, were "racist" and "totally unacceptable". |
| Labour had called for Mr Sabisky to be sacked over comments on pregnancies, eugenics and race. | Labour had called for Mr Sabisky to be sacked over comments on pregnancies, eugenics and race. |
| Mr Sabisky accused the media of "selective quoting" and "hysteria". | Mr Sabisky accused the media of "selective quoting" and "hysteria". |
| He also tweeted that he had resigned because he did not want to prove a "distraction". | He also tweeted that he had resigned because he did not want to prove a "distraction". |
| "I know this will disappoint a lot of people but I signed up to do real work, not be in the middle of a giant character assassination," Mr Sabisky added. | "I know this will disappoint a lot of people but I signed up to do real work, not be in the middle of a giant character assassination," Mr Sabisky added. |
| "If I can't do the work properly there's no point, and I have a lot of other things to do with my life," he added. | "If I can't do the work properly there's no point, and I have a lot of other things to do with my life," he added. |
| As well as the remarks on race and intelligence, Mr Sabisky wrote that compulsory contraception could prevent "creating a permanent underclass". | |
| Mr Sabisky, who describes himself as a "superforecaster", was appointed earlier this year after the prime minister's chief adviser Dominic Cummings called for "misfits and weirdos" to apply for jobs in Downing Street. | Mr Sabisky, who describes himself as a "superforecaster", was appointed earlier this year after the prime minister's chief adviser Dominic Cummings called for "misfits and weirdos" to apply for jobs in Downing Street. |
| Leaving his home on Tuesday, Mr Cummings told reporters: "Read Philip Tetlock's Superforecasters, instead of political pundits who don't know what they're talking about." | Leaving his home on Tuesday, Mr Cummings told reporters: "Read Philip Tetlock's Superforecasters, instead of political pundits who don't know what they're talking about." |
| The reference appeared to be to a 2015 book of similar name on the science of prediction, Superforecasting, co-written by US-based academic Philip Tetlock. | The reference appeared to be to a 2015 book of similar name on the science of prediction, Superforecasting, co-written by US-based academic Philip Tetlock. |
| Mr Kwarteng told BBC Radio 5 Live he was unaware of what Mr Sabisky's role had entailed, but added: "He's now left, and we can now all move on." | Mr Kwarteng told BBC Radio 5 Live he was unaware of what Mr Sabisky's role had entailed, but added: "He's now left, and we can now all move on." |
| Asked how Mr Sabisky had been selected, Mr Kwarteng replied: "I've no idea what the process is. That's not my remit. I think it's unfortunate that he was hired." | Asked how Mr Sabisky had been selected, Mr Kwarteng replied: "I've no idea what the process is. That's not my remit. I think it's unfortunate that he was hired." |
| He said: "We should prevent racists coming into No 10 or wherever he was working, I think that we do need to look at these processes." | He said: "We should prevent racists coming into No 10 or wherever he was working, I think that we do need to look at these processes." |
| 'Serious questions' | 'Serious questions' |
| When asked on Monday, Downing Street did not comment on the remarks attributed to Mr Sabisky. | When asked on Monday, Downing Street did not comment on the remarks attributed to Mr Sabisky. |
| Boris Johnson's spokesman said at the time: "The prime minister's views on a range of subjects are well publicised and documented." | Boris Johnson's spokesman said at the time: "The prime minister's views on a range of subjects are well publicised and documented." |
| Responding to the resignation, Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said: "It's right that Andrew Sabisky is no longer working in government. | Responding to the resignation, Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said: "It's right that Andrew Sabisky is no longer working in government. |
| "After No 10 publicly stood by him... Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer about how this appointment was made and whether he agrees with his vile views." | "After No 10 publicly stood by him... Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer about how this appointment was made and whether he agrees with his vile views." |
| Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she was "relieved" Mr Sabisky had resigned. | Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she was "relieved" Mr Sabisky had resigned. |
| But she criticised the reaction from No 10, adding they "could have distanced themselves from his youthful comments at any point, but they chose not to do so". | But she criticised the reaction from No 10, adding they "could have distanced themselves from his youthful comments at any point, but they chose not to do so". |
| What has Mr Sabisky said in the past? | What has Mr Sabisky said in the past? |
| In a comment on a 2014 blog post on Mr Cummings' website, made by a user called "Andrew Sabisky", it is suggested that compulsory contraception could be used to stop a "permanent underclass". | In a comment on a 2014 blog post on Mr Cummings' website, made by a user called "Andrew Sabisky", it is suggested that compulsory contraception could be used to stop a "permanent underclass". |
| "One way to get around the problems of unplanned pregnancies creating a permanent underclass would be to legally enforce universal uptake of long-term contraception at the onset of puberty," says the post. | "One way to get around the problems of unplanned pregnancies creating a permanent underclass would be to legally enforce universal uptake of long-term contraception at the onset of puberty," says the post. |
| "Vaccination laws give it a precedent, I would argue." | "Vaccination laws give it a precedent, I would argue." |
| In a comment on another blog post on a different website in 2014, what appears to be the same user suggested black Americans had a lower average IQ than white Americans. | In a comment on another blog post on a different website in 2014, what appears to be the same user suggested black Americans had a lower average IQ than white Americans. |
| In a comment on a different blog that same year, a user with his name said: "There are excellent reasons to think the very real racial differences in intelligence are significantly - even mostly - genetic in origin, though the degree is of course a very serious subject of scholarly debate." | In a comment on a different blog that same year, a user with his name said: "There are excellent reasons to think the very real racial differences in intelligence are significantly - even mostly - genetic in origin, though the degree is of course a very serious subject of scholarly debate." |
| Mr Sabisky also suggested to Schools Week in July 2016 that the benefits of a purported cognitive enhancer, which can prove fatal, are "probably worth a dead kid once a year". | Mr Sabisky also suggested to Schools Week in July 2016 that the benefits of a purported cognitive enhancer, which can prove fatal, are "probably worth a dead kid once a year". |
| "Eugenics are about selecting 'for' good things," he said in the same interview. "Intelligence is largely inherited and it correlates with better outcomes: physical health, income, lower mental illness. | "Eugenics are about selecting 'for' good things," he said in the same interview. "Intelligence is largely inherited and it correlates with better outcomes: physical health, income, lower mental illness. |
| And in a Twitter post from 2019, he said: "I am always straight up in saying that women's sport is more comparable to the Paralympics than it is to men's." | And in a Twitter post from 2019, he said: "I am always straight up in saying that women's sport is more comparable to the Paralympics than it is to men's." |