A TORY borough council candidate will no longer be standing for the party in the election after a ‘truly terrifying’ tweet to Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols.
Labour’s Ms Nichols, who is Jewish, has posted a screenshot of the tweet from last year.
In a reply to a tweet from the MP in which she commented on a story about Prime Minister Boris Johnson and partner Carrie Symonds expecting a baby, Sharon Thomason said: “Keep the Aryan race going…”
Apparently Sharon "Keep the Aryan race going" Thomason's council candidate page has been taken down, but still silence from @wendymaisey and @OneWarrington? I would have thought an apology was in order. https://t.co/NdCkVjEwT7
— Charlotte Nichols (@charlotte2153) February 3, 2021
The Aryan race is linked to Nazi ideology.
The Nazis believed Aryans were the master race and that other groups were inferior and a threat to the Aryan race.
Six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust during the Nazi regime.
In a tweet, Ms Nichols said: “This far right troll is Sharon Thomason, who Warrington Conservatives have selected as their council candidate for Great Sankey North and Whittle Hall – if you wanted a feel for the calibre of candidates they’re selecting locally.”
She added: “Apparently Sharon ‘Keep the Aryan race going’ Thomason’s council candidate page has been taken down, but still silence from @wendymaisey and @OneWarrington? I would have thought an apology was in order.”
Council leader Cllr Russ Bowden, Labour, also expressed his concerns.
He tweeted: “Lauding the Aryan race to a Jewish woman MP?
“Simply disgusting and inexcusable conduct – incredible to think that Warrington Tories believe that she is fit to be their candidate, let alone fit for public office.”
One Twitter user labelled the comment as ‘truly terrifying’ and ‘heartbreaking’.
The Tories have confirmed Ms Thomason will no longer be standing for the party in the all-out election in May.
A party spokesman said: “Warrington Conservatives condemns all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, they have no place in our party.
“We had already been made aware of the tweet before Ms Nichols published it and took action swiftly and immediately.
“We can confirm that the candidate in question will not be standing for the party at the local elections and is no longer a member.”
MP Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader and party chair, has issued a statement.
She said: “The promotion and propagation of a core tenet of racist Nazi ideology is completely unacceptable and has no place in our politics.
"I am horrified that someone who has publicly promoted these views has been selected as a Conservative Party candidate.
"Given Sharon Thomason made these comments before she was selected as a candidate, and this statement was raised with the chair of the local Conservative Association in Warrington before she was selected, the Conservative Party must explain why the promotion of Nazi ideology almost a year ago does not prevent someone from being selected as a Tory candidate, who knew about Sharon Thomason's statement and did nothing to prevent her selection as a candidate and what steps the Conservative Party is taking to ensure that nobody who promotes Nazism and racist ideologies will be welcomed as a member of or candidate for the Conservative Party.”
MP Amanda Milling, co-chair of the Conservative Party, has also weighed in on the issue.
These comments are totally unacceptable.
— Amanda Milling (@amandamilling) February 8, 2021
This was brought to my attention last week and the member was suspended. She is no longer a member and will not be standing for the Party at the local elections.
In a tweet in reply to Ms Rayner, she said: "These comments are totally unacceptable.
"This was brought to my attention last week and the member was suspended.
"She is no longer a member and will not be standing for the party at the local elections."
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 hereComments are closed on this article