Hertsmere Tory councillor quits party over reprimand
Paul Morris, a Bushey Heath councillor, will now sit as an Independent Conservative after being reprimanded over his role in 'negative hate' campaign, a decision he has appealed against
A Conservative councillor who was reprimanded over his involvement in a “negative” election campaign that “may well have encouraged” antisemitism has quit the party.
Paul Morris, a Bushey Heath councillor, said he was continuing as an independent due to the length of time an appeal over the decision was taking, adding this was an “appalling process that has taken an inordinate period to resolve and remains in abeyance.”
Cllr Morris and four other Hertsmere Conservative members were reprimanded following an investigation by the Conservative Party Central Office,triggered after the Hertsmere Labour Party accused the Tories of “inciting racial hatred” .
It related to abuse and threats sent to Labour candidate Dan Ozarow, who is Jewish, in the run-up to a by-election in Borehamwood in February 2020.
He was subjected to taunts – including beinglabelled a “Jew c***”, a “Nazi”, and told that he “lacked a Jewish soul” – after a now deleted 2015 article claimed had had signed a letter defending Jeremy Corbyn over antisemitism claims.
Cllr Morris, who will now sit as an Independent Conservative, said: “I have the highest regard for my local Conservative colleagues and will continue to work collaboratively where possible.
“I regret having to take this monumental step particularly as Cllr Ozarow will be of the view he has achieved his goal of disrupting the Conservative administration, however my departure from the party follows an appalling process that has taken an inordinate period to resolve and remains in abeyance.”
Hertsmere Conservative Association chairman David Wernick added: “We deeply regret the resignation of Cllr Paul Morris OBE from the Conservative Party.
“Paul has served both the Jewish and wider communities of Hertsmere with honour and integrity for many many years and the reasons behind his resignation are a matter of deep regret to all his colleagues.
“We both fully understand and support his position and can only hope that at some point in the future he feels able to return to our Conservative family.”
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
