Conservative leader Michael Howard is being investigated by the
police after being accused of inciting racial hatred towards
gypsies,
writes Helen McCormack.
The Metropolitan Police investigation follows a complaint by the
Gypsy Council for Education, Culture, Welfare and Civil Rights.
The complaint was reportedly prompted by a speech last month in
which Howard laid out a controversial five-point plan on
travellers’ rights, including a pledge to make trespass by
travellers a criminal offence.
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A Conservative Party spokesperson denounced the allegation as
“utterly absurd”, and said Howard had been clear that
only a tiny minority of gypsies did not abide by the law.
She added: “It is not racist to highlight problems with
Britain's planning law.”
