A COUNCILLOR has been suspended from the Conservative Party after sending emails ranting that prospective parliamentary candidates do not have “normal" English names.
Councillor Peter Hobbins sent several emails in the early hours of yesterday morning (November 19) to fellow councillors and Orpington’s Tory association chairman lamenting the latest list of prospective parliamentary candidates.
The first email to Orpington Conservative Association chairman John Esler reads: “I have been contacted by a Mr Dilon Gumraj and a Zerha Zaidi and others who are all on the approved Conservative Parliamentary Candidates list.
“Not one of them has a ‘normal’ English name.
“They want to be the PPCs for Orpington and asked me for my personal advice on how they would be the best candidates for the Orpington Constituency. My view? For hells sake.
“Why are the Candidates Department so keen on these foreign names?!!!!
“The candidates department are simply rushing these names through.
“They have absolutely no idea about how Associations are organised and have ZERO experience of political campaigning.
“Their emails are PATHETIC.”
He goes on to say: “Maybe I should change my name to something foreign - how does Petrado Indiano Hobbinso sound to you?!”
'No room for racism'
Less than 40 minutes later a second email to John Esler and other Bromley councillors criticised the prospective candidates for asking him questions about how to plan a speech, tips on canvassing and what to do if they can’t answer a question.
Cllr Hobbins also says in the email that prospective candidates have asked him where Orpington is and how to get there.
The email then claims the questions are “ridiculous” before stating: “I really do not want to read another cv about Africa!”
Cllr Hobbins is ward councillor for Orpington and his emails - leaked to News Shopper - have led to the Conservative Party suspending him with a warning about racism.
A Tory spokesman said: “Councillor Hobbins has been immediately suspended from the Conservative Party and from the Conservative group on Bromley Council and he will play no part in the selection of the parliamentary candidate.
“There is no room for racism in the Conservative Party.”
Earlier this year, current Orpington MP John Horam announced he would not be standing at the next general election, paving the way for a new MP in the Tory stronghold.
News Shopper has attempted to contact Cllr Hobbins today (November 20) but were forced to leave several messages.
Management meeting
Mr Esler said the Orpington association would be holding a management meeting within the next few days and would be discussing Mr Hobbins’ emails.
He said: “He shouldn’t have sent them. They were inappropriate.
“I ignored most of it. I decided it was not worth the effort of reading.
“He definitely shouldn’t have sent them.”
Understood to be a politics teacher, Cllr Hobbins tried and failed to win the Rhondda constituency seat in Wales during the 2001 general election.
Duncan Borrowman is the Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Old Bexley and Sidcup and was given a copy of the emails yesterday (November 19).
He said: “The question is will David Cameron now intervene? Will he have the guts to grab Cllr Hobbins by the ear and chuck him out of the Conservative Party?”
A special meeting of the association on December 11 will decide which Tory candidate will contest Orpington at the general election, expected next year.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel