Independent review

THE GUARDIAN

Whip removed from Tory MP over race joke

Patrick Wintour
Thursday February 26, 2004
The Guardian

The Conservative leader, Michael Howard, removed the party whip last night from backbench MP Ann Winterton after she refused to apologise for making an offensive, tasteless and arguably racist joke about the drowned cockle pickers in Morecambe Bay.

She had told a "joke" to a group of MPs and Danish businessmen about some sharks deciding to go for a Chinese meal in Morecambe Bay.

Her remarks were revealed to the Guardian by a fellow MP at the dinner who had been disgusted by them. It is the second time that Ms Winterton, the MP for Congleton, has been accused of making racist jokes at private evening functions.

On the previous occasion, she was sacked from the front bench after some dithering by the then Tory leader, Iain Duncan Smith.

On this occasion, Mr Howard acted without hesitation, deploying the main sanction available to him against a backbencher.

Mr Howard said in a statement: "Ann Winterton's remarks about the tragic deaths in Morecambe Bay were completely unacceptable. Such sentiments have no place in the Conservative Party. I deplore them and I apologise for them on behalf of my party. As a result of her refusal to withdraw and apologise for them, the Conservative whip has been withdrawn from Ann Winterton."

She was last night also facing calls to stand down as MP after making the joke.

The former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith dismissed Ms Winterton from her shadow agriculture post after she told a joke about an Englishman throwing a Pakistani out of a train that ended with the line: "They are 10 a penny in my country."

Nick Palmer, Labour MP for Broxtowe, was at the dinner at which Ms Winterton told the Chinese "joke", and said his hosts were shocked by her remarks. He said Ms Winterton had been warned by a fellow Tory MP, Cheryl Gillan, not to make a joke that was likely to causeoffence.

Mr Palmer said: "I was not sure whether to complain, but the remarks were really unjustified and tasteless. Everyone was completely embarrassed and stared at their plates. If she had been the host, I would have got up and left."

Peter Bradley, Labour MP for the Wrekin, said: "Michael Howard does not need to go to Burnley to take on racists - he should stay at Westminster to fight racists in his own ranks.

"Ms Winterton is now a serial offender. One racist joke might be crass, two is bigotry. If the Tories want to reproject their party as a caring party, they should consider whether they really want someone like her representing their party."

Ms Winterton avoided legal action over her earlier remarks, and is unlikely to face action over what will probably be regarded as a private event.

She is known as a right-winger who has campaigned against abortion and for the return of the death penalty. She is married to fellow Tory MP Sir Nicholas Winterton, who represents Macclesfield.