MP severs tie with far-right magazine
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Conservative Party moved to underline its anti-racist stance yesterday after Andrew Hunter, a senior Tory MP, announced that he had cut his links with a far-right magazine.
Conservative Central Office welcomed the decision by Mr Hunter to resign formally as a patron of Right Now!, a publication that has carried articles attacking immigration and multiculturalism.
The magazine shares a postal address with the Monday Club, the hard-right group suspended by Iain Duncan Smith last autumn for the "racist" nature of its website and its support for voluntary repatriation.
Mr Hunter, a deputy chairman of the Monday Club, was one of three MPs forced to resign from the club by the party leadership in October.
Last week the MP for Basingstoke was still listed as a patron of Right Now! some six months after Mr Duncan Smith's warning that he would "not tolerate intolerance". But in a letter to the magazinethis week, Mr Hunter states he can no longer be associated with the publication "in any way".
He objects specifically to an advertisement in the latest issue from the Conservative Democratic Alliance (CDA), a new group threatening legal action against the Tories over the Monday Club suspension. The advertisement states it is "horrified by Tory frontbench spokesmen advocating gay lifestyles and New Labour ideas".
In his letter to Derek Turner, the magazine's editor, who has referred to himself as a "neighbourhood Nazi", Mr Hunter states that he is a very loyal supporter of Mr Duncan Smith and has been appalled by the "antics" of the CDA.
A spokesman for Mr Duncan Smith said: "We welcome Andrew's decision, which will send a clear message that the party has changed on these issues."
Monday Club rebels will fight back tonight, with motions to their annual meeting attacking the party. Michael Smith, a spokesman for the CDA, said: "We know many of the senior people in the party don't actually object to the Monday Club. This is all about them affecting a pose to prove they have moved to the centre ground."
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments