Ozarow, who stood as a candidate in the Borehamwood Kenilworth ward byelection in 2020, told the investigation that the hate began after negative campaigning by the Conservative councillors.
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Conservative councillors in Oliver Dowden’s constituency have been disciplined for a “hate” campaign against a Jewish Labour candidate, according to an independent investigation commissioned by Tory HQ.
The report found the behaviour of five Hertsmere Tory councillors “may well have encouraged” antisemitic abuse of Labour’s Dan Ozarow, as well as multiple breaches of the party’s code of conduct.
Campaigning tactics included a digital billboard at Elstree and Borehamwood station with a picture of Ozarow suggesting he was a supporter of Hezbollah, mocked up on a fictitious newspaper.
CCHQ asked an independent QC to examine the behaviour of the councillors and the subsequent abuse of Ozarow on social media, which saw him told to “go to the gas chambers” and being told he “lacked a Jewish soul”.
Ozarow described feeling “terrorised” by the abuse of him and his family, including an anonymous phone call that appeared to threaten his wife and unborn child. Hertfordshire police recorded several of these social media posts as “hate incidents”.
Ozarow, who stood as a candidate in the Borehamwood Kenilworth ward byelection in 2020, told the investigation that the hate began after negative campaigning by the Conservative councillors.
In his 104-page submission considered by CCHQ he alleged that threatening messages were sent to his work email and said a chilling anonymous message purported to be from a Conservative councillor warning that he “had to live with his past” and mentioning his and his wife’s unborn baby.
The Conservatives’ co-chair Ben Elliot accepted the recommendations of a panel of party members, led by independent QC Richard Price, which found that councillors Brett Rosehill – who won the byelection – Glenn Briski and Paul Morris were “party to a personal campaign against the claimant in relation to the 2020 byelection, and which continued for many months”.
It also concluded that “this negative campaigning may well have encouraged others to send antisemitic posts or messages to the complainant”. The report also criticised the council leader, Morris Bright, who the report said should have “taken steps to rein in the activities of these councillors at an early stage”.
The same criticism was made about former councillor Jane West, the Hertsmere election agent. All five have received formal reprimands.
Ozarow, who won a byelection in the ward in 2021, said: “After this two-year investigation, I am delighted that the terror that my family and I went through is finally over and that the Conservative party has reached this verdict. I wanted to show people that I wasn’t going to be bullied away just for wanting to make my community a better place.
“No one should have to suffer like my family and I did and it really saddened me to hear Jewish people from other parties telling me that they were too frightened to stand for election because of what happened.”
The Conservative deputy leader of Elstree and Borehamwood town council, Sandra Parnell, also described Ozarow as “the worst antisemite”. She apologised after an out of court settlement.
*Jessica Elgot Chief political correspondent*
Wed 27 Apr 2022 19.00 BST
>disciplined
Only one scoop of taxpayer funded icecream, and no invite to the Party Conference drug binge with Michael Gove.
Oh it was all relating to his anti Israel stance. Its so fucked that Israel/Palestine infects elections right down to this bloody local level.
Want, I thought it was Jeremy corbyn and Labour that were anti semitic??
4 comments
Ozarow, who stood as a candidate in the Borehamwood Kenilworth ward byelection in 2020, told the investigation that the hate began after negative campaigning by the Conservative councillors.
–
Conservative councillors in Oliver Dowden’s constituency have been disciplined for a “hate” campaign against a Jewish Labour candidate, according to an independent investigation commissioned by Tory HQ.
The report found the behaviour of five Hertsmere Tory councillors “may well have encouraged” antisemitic abuse of Labour’s Dan Ozarow, as well as multiple breaches of the party’s code of conduct.
Campaigning tactics included a digital billboard at Elstree and Borehamwood station with a picture of Ozarow suggesting he was a supporter of Hezbollah, mocked up on a fictitious newspaper.
CCHQ asked an independent QC to examine the behaviour of the councillors and the subsequent abuse of Ozarow on social media, which saw him told to “go to the gas chambers” and being told he “lacked a Jewish soul”.
Ozarow described feeling “terrorised” by the abuse of him and his family, including an anonymous phone call that appeared to threaten his wife and unborn child. Hertfordshire police recorded several of these social media posts as “hate incidents”.
Ozarow, who stood as a candidate in the Borehamwood Kenilworth ward byelection in 2020, told the investigation that the hate began after negative campaigning by the Conservative councillors.
In his 104-page submission considered by CCHQ he alleged that threatening messages were sent to his work email and said a chilling anonymous message purported to be from a Conservative councillor warning that he “had to live with his past” and mentioning his and his wife’s unborn baby.
The Conservatives’ co-chair Ben Elliot accepted the recommendations of a panel of party members, led by independent QC Richard Price, which found that councillors Brett Rosehill – who won the byelection – Glenn Briski and Paul Morris were “party to a personal campaign against the claimant in relation to the 2020 byelection, and which continued for many months”.
It also concluded that “this negative campaigning may well have encouraged others to send antisemitic posts or messages to the complainant”. The report also criticised the council leader, Morris Bright, who the report said should have “taken steps to rein in the activities of these councillors at an early stage”.
The same criticism was made about former councillor Jane West, the Hertsmere election agent. All five have received formal reprimands.
Ozarow, who won a byelection in the ward in 2021, said: “After this two-year investigation, I am delighted that the terror that my family and I went through is finally over and that the Conservative party has reached this verdict. I wanted to show people that I wasn’t going to be bullied away just for wanting to make my community a better place.
“No one should have to suffer like my family and I did and it really saddened me to hear Jewish people from other parties telling me that they were too frightened to stand for election because of what happened.”
The Conservative deputy leader of Elstree and Borehamwood town council, Sandra Parnell, also described Ozarow as “the worst antisemite”. She apologised after an out of court settlement.
*Jessica Elgot Chief political correspondent*
Wed 27 Apr 2022 19.00 BST
>disciplined
Only one scoop of taxpayer funded icecream, and no invite to the Party Conference drug binge with Michael Gove.
Oh it was all relating to his anti Israel stance. Its so fucked that Israel/Palestine infects elections right down to this bloody local level.
Want, I thought it was Jeremy corbyn and Labour that were anti semitic??