This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/22/tory-candidate-afzal-amin-accused-of-edl-plot-urged-fess-up-go-now
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tory candidate accused of EDL plot urged to 'fess up' and 'go now' | Tory candidate accused of EDL plot urged to 'fess up' and 'go now' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Conservative parliamentary candidate who was recorded plotting with the English Defence League to increase his vote by stirring up a row over a new mosque is expected to be expelled from the party within days. | A Conservative parliamentary candidate who was recorded plotting with the English Defence League to increase his vote by stirring up a row over a new mosque is expected to be expelled from the party within days. |
| The defence minister, Anna Soubry, urged Afzal Amin, the Tory candidate in Dudley North, to “fess up” and “go now” if the allegations were true. According to the Mail on Sunday, Amin floated a plan for the EDL to a march against a mosque in the constituency that would then be called off. | The defence minister, Anna Soubry, urged Afzal Amin, the Tory candidate in Dudley North, to “fess up” and “go now” if the allegations were true. According to the Mail on Sunday, Amin floated a plan for the EDL to a march against a mosque in the constituency that would then be called off. |
| Amin has been suspended pending a formal investigation, but Tory sources indicated that Amin’s position was unsustainable. | Amin has been suspended pending a formal investigation, but Tory sources indicated that Amin’s position was unsustainable. |
| In a video published by the Mail on Sunday, Amin is recorded saying that he would take the credit for persuading the EDL to call off the march on the eve of the general election. He also pledged to act as the EDL’s “unshakeable ally” in parliament if they were able to help him. | In a video published by the Mail on Sunday, Amin is recorded saying that he would take the credit for persuading the EDL to call off the march on the eve of the general election. He also pledged to act as the EDL’s “unshakeable ally” in parliament if they were able to help him. |
| A senior Tory source said: “What’s amazing is he hasn’t fallen on his sword already.” | A senior Tory source said: “What’s amazing is he hasn’t fallen on his sword already.” |
| Soubry told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1 that Amin should resign from the party and stand down as Tory candidate in Dudley North if the allegations are true. | Soubry told the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1 that Amin should resign from the party and stand down as Tory candidate in Dudley North if the allegations are true. |
| Soubry, a defence minister, said: “He is at the moment denying this. He has been suspended. What I would say is I would appeal if there is any truth in this – to him – then go now, hold your head up. Obviously if this is right this is dreadful. The EDL is the most appalling organisation. It doesn’t matter which party you are. Anybody who engages in that sort of shenanigans doesn’t do anybody any credit. | Soubry, a defence minister, said: “He is at the moment denying this. He has been suspended. What I would say is I would appeal if there is any truth in this – to him – then go now, hold your head up. Obviously if this is right this is dreadful. The EDL is the most appalling organisation. It doesn’t matter which party you are. Anybody who engages in that sort of shenanigans doesn’t do anybody any credit. |
| The minister, who is MP for the marginal seat of Broxtowe, said | The minister, who is MP for the marginal seat of Broxtowe, said |
| : “Sometimes people get a bit carried away. You and I know how tough it is fighting marginal seats. If there is any truth in this he should ‘fess up and go now.” | : “Sometimes people get a bit carried away. You and I know how tough it is fighting marginal seats. If there is any truth in this he should ‘fess up and go now.” |
| Grant Shapps, the Tory chairman, moved quickly to suspend Amin after the Mail on Sunday published a series of conversations he held with the EDL. David Cameron was briefed, and an emergency meeting of the party’s candidates committee agreed to suspend Amin. He will be asked to explain himself at a meeting on Tuesday. | Grant Shapps, the Tory chairman, moved quickly to suspend Amin after the Mail on Sunday published a series of conversations he held with the EDL. David Cameron was briefed, and an emergency meeting of the party’s candidates committee agreed to suspend Amin. He will be asked to explain himself at a meeting on Tuesday. |
| A Conservative spokesman said: “Following an emergency meeting, it has been decided to suspend him as a candidate with immediate effect. The Conservative party views this as a matter of extremely serious concern.” | A Conservative spokesman said: “Following an emergency meeting, it has been decided to suspend him as a candidate with immediate effect. The Conservative party views this as a matter of extremely serious concern.” |
| Tory sources made clear that Amin would be expelled from the party and would be formally removed as the party’s candidate in Dudley North after the Mail on Sunday recording showed that he had tried to collude with the EDL in an attempt to portray himself in a positive light. Amin, a former army captain, will be asked for an explanation at Tuesday’s meeting. But sources indicated that there appears to be no way back for him in light of the recordings. | Tory sources made clear that Amin would be expelled from the party and would be formally removed as the party’s candidate in Dudley North after the Mail on Sunday recording showed that he had tried to collude with the EDL in an attempt to portray himself in a positive light. Amin, a former army captain, will be asked for an explanation at Tuesday’s meeting. But sources indicated that there appears to be no way back for him in light of the recordings. |
| Amin was secretly filmed telling the former EDL leader Tommy Robinson and the EDL chairman, Steve Eddowes, at a restaurant in Birmingham last Monday that his “fantasy” was for the EDL to arrange a large march against the new mosque on 2 May, the final Saturday before the general election. This would then be called off after interventions by Amin, who would, he said, be praised for delivering a “resolution”. | Amin was secretly filmed telling the former EDL leader Tommy Robinson and the EDL chairman, Steve Eddowes, at a restaurant in Birmingham last Monday that his “fantasy” was for the EDL to arrange a large march against the new mosque on 2 May, the final Saturday before the general election. This would then be called off after interventions by Amin, who would, he said, be praised for delivering a “resolution”. |
| In the recording, Amin said: “This is my fantasy … One way of doing this, if you were to announce a second march about the mosque and then we have two meetings with the chief of police, members of the Muslim community, we all play our roles. You say: ‘Yeah, we’re going to do a march, we’re campaigning and so on’. | In the recording, Amin said: “This is my fantasy … One way of doing this, if you were to announce a second march about the mosque and then we have two meetings with the chief of police, members of the Muslim community, we all play our roles. You say: ‘Yeah, we’re going to do a march, we’re campaigning and so on’. |
| “We have a second meeting where things are a bit calmer, then at the third one we have a press conference where we say, ‘We were going to do a march. The chief of police asked Afzal Amin, members of the Muslim community, we’ve sat together and … we’re going to work closely together.’ That will bring the English Defence League out of the shadows and into the mainstream political debate.” | “We have a second meeting where things are a bit calmer, then at the third one we have a press conference where we say, ‘We were going to do a march. The chief of police asked Afzal Amin, members of the Muslim community, we’ve sat together and … we’re going to work closely together.’ That will bring the English Defence League out of the shadows and into the mainstream political debate.” |
| Amin then confirmed his plans in a telephone conversation with Robinson on Wednesday. “Yeah, we’re very happy to proceed,” he said. | Amin then confirmed his plans in a telephone conversation with Robinson on Wednesday. “Yeah, we’re very happy to proceed,” he said. |
| The candidate is likely to argue that his discussions with Eddowes and Robinson – who is understood to be close to EDL figures despite having left the organisation amid concerns about its violent reputation – were initially designed to stop an EDL march. | The candidate is likely to argue that his discussions with Eddowes and Robinson – who is understood to be close to EDL figures despite having left the organisation amid concerns about its violent reputation – were initially designed to stop an EDL march. |
| Amin met them in January to try to persuade them to call off a march planned for 27 February. The march involving 600 EDL supporters eventually went ahead. There were 30 arrests. | Amin met them in January to try to persuade them to call off a march planned for 27 February. The march involving 600 EDL supporters eventually went ahead. There were 30 arrests. |
| The candidate also discussed paying EDL supporters to canvass for him – an offence under the Representation of the People Act 1983. But Amin reportedly told the men: “I’ll put it to you bluntly. I need two white working class lads to go round those areas to say to people, ‘You support the army, if you support the troops then vote for this guy’. That’s what I need.” | The candidate also discussed paying EDL supporters to canvass for him – an offence under the Representation of the People Act 1983. But Amin reportedly told the men: “I’ll put it to you bluntly. I need two white working class lads to go round those areas to say to people, ‘You support the army, if you support the troops then vote for this guy’. That’s what I need.” |
| Amin reportedly replied, when Robinson suggested it would cost £500 a week: “What’s that, £250 each a week? They do 4 April to the first week of May, that’ll be loads … from our perspective, they’re volunteers.” | Amin reportedly replied, when Robinson suggested it would cost £500 a week: “What’s that, £250 each a week? They do 4 April to the first week of May, that’ll be loads … from our perspective, they’re volunteers.” |
| In Dudley on Sunday people were critical of Amin’s actions. “People are bruised,” Amjid Raza, a spokesman for the Dudley Central Mosque said as people arrived for a family celebration. “He was really good with the community … It is unfortunate that this has come to light. Now it is up to the Conservatives to decide what happens.” | |
| A few hundred metres away in the town’s pedestrianised area Fred Birch, 70, was more direct. “He was saying one thing and doing another behind the backs of the voters wasn’t he. How can you trust him after that.” | |
| Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, said he was appalled by the allegations. Asked on the Marr show what he would think were one of his candidates recorded trying to broker a deal with the EDL, he said: “I would be absolutely mortified and their feet wouldn’t touch the ground.” | Nigel Farage, the Ukip leader, said he was appalled by the allegations. Asked on the Marr show what he would think were one of his candidates recorded trying to broker a deal with the EDL, he said: “I would be absolutely mortified and their feet wouldn’t touch the ground.” |
| Gloria De Piero, the shadow women’s minister, said it was astonishing that a Tory candidate could seek to negotiate with an organisation that stirs up divisions. “It is astonishing,” she told Marr. “They intimidate people, they frighten people.” | Gloria De Piero, the shadow women’s minister, said it was astonishing that a Tory candidate could seek to negotiate with an organisation that stirs up divisions. “It is astonishing,” she told Marr. “They intimidate people, they frighten people.” |
| In a statement on his website on Sunday Amin said said the footage had been “grossly misrepresented and presented an inaccurate picture of the reality of what was happening”. | |
| He added: “During a time of heated tensions between various communities in our country, it’s vital that we tackle these problems and take difficult, sometimes uncomfortable, steps. The potential for inter communal violence has become a real threat to the destabilisation of our country and we must prevent this at all costs ... | |
| “Politics requires an amount of bravery and using my experience as a strategist in Afghanistan, negotiating between pro-Taliban militias and the US military, I decided to use the same tactics to improve community relations here in my own country between the EDL and Muslim communities.” |