Tory MP calls his own party’s complaints process ‘not fit for purpose’
Hertsmere MP Oliver Dowden spoke out after an appeal by local councillors reprimanded over 'negative campaign' against local Labour candidate was refused.
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Hertsmere Conservative MP Oliver Dowden has branded his own party’s complaints process “not fit for purpose” after claiming it had been “exploited for political advantage by a Corbyn supporting Labour candidate.”
Richard Price KC had been asked by Conservative Party HQ (CCHQ) toinvestigate four Hertsmere Borough Council members and a former councillor for their 2020 Borehamwood Kenilworth by-election campaign which targeted Labour opponent Councillor Dr Dan Ozarow.
In his submission, Price found that they were responsible for a “negative campaign” which left Ozarow facing a barrage of antisemitic hate from members of the public, on the back of claims he was a supporter of Jeremy Corbyn.
While still co-chair of the party Dowden had backed the decision byHertsmere borough council leader Morris Bright, councillor Brett Rosehill, councillor Glenn Briski, councillor Paul Morris and election agent Jane West to appeal against the findings against them.
But last week it emerged that the party’s Individual Member Review Committee agreed that no new evidence had been submitted which could have made a difference to the outcome.
Dowden has now slammed the decision stating:”I am deeply disappointed by this outcome.
“The people concerned are manifestly upstanding members of the local community and the Jewish community.
“Their only motivation throughout has been to selflessly serve the people of Hertsmere.”
The five were reprimanded and sent on training courses by their party for their roles in the campaign, although they were not blamed themselves for the antisemitic abuse Ozarow faced online.
Despite CCHQ stating that the matter was closed, the Board of the Conservative Party, then co-chaired by Dowden, changed its rules and retrospectively granted an appeal under a new code which was published several weeks after the investigation had been concluded.
Dowden then submitted a bundle of papers that provided the basis for their appeal.
But the party’s Individual Member Review Committee agreed that no new evidence had been submitted which could have made a difference to the outcome.
In a statement sent to Jewish News Dowden added:”Given the nature of the investigation, particularly the time taken, I believe this has been a flawed process and have made my views clear to the Conservative Party.
“The complaints process is clearly not fit for purpose and has been exploited for political advantage by a Corbyn supporting Labour candidate.
“The Conservative Party should urgently review it in the interest of natural justice.”
Dowden said the members concerned “continue to have my full support.”
Councillor Morris quit the Conservative Party last month, complaining that the appeal decision was taking too long.
In 2020 Ozarow claimed “vile” messages he received online were spurred on by an electronic billboard which featured his face alongside a mocked-up newspaper headline that suggested support for militant group Hezbollah.
At the time Ozarow told the Independent newspaper:“When you see your face on a screen at the local railway station next to the word Hezbollah, as a Jewish person that cuts you in half.“They painted me as a terrorist sympathiser. I thought I was finished in the Jewish community.”
He had previously signed a letter stating Jeremy Corbyn had “nothing to apologise for” in regards to previous meetings with representatives of Hamas and Hezbollah.
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