Harlow Labour claim senior Tory was aware of disgraced councillor’s Twitter account
News / Tue 17th May 2022 at 12:15pm
HARLOW Labour has claimed that a senior Harlow Conservative councillor was aware of the Twitter account of a councillor who stood down just four days after being elected, due to the racist content on his social media account.
Marco Lorenzini won the ward of Bush Fair on May 5th by just four votes.
On Tuesday May 10th, Labour activists posted a collage of the offensive messages on their social media account and asked what action would the Tories take?
Soon after, Mr Lorenzini resigned his position as a councillor. A by-election is now due to take place on Thursday June 23rd.
The Conservative stance was that “we didn’t know” and claimed that they were “misled” by Mr Lorenzini regarding his Twitter accounts during the selection process.
But Harlow Labour has unearthed the front page of one of Mr Lorenzini’s accounts and noted that it was being followed by Sumners and Kingsmoor councillor Nick Churchill. Cllr Churchill was also the election agent for the campaign.
Labour is claiming that he was following the account prior to Labour highlighting it and so casting serious doubt on “‘official’ version of events”.
The tweets are now the subject of a police investigation.
Newly elected Labour Councillor for Netteswell, James Griggs, said ‘Cllr Churchill and Harlow Conservatives must come clean about what they knew and when. Their current version of events just doesn’t add up. Are they taking Harlow residents for fools using the Boris Johnson playbook of feigning ignorance of events until they are cornered and forced to admit the truth?
“Since this man’s appalling tweets were exposed, I have spoken to numerous residents who are utterly disgusted by them. This abhorrent and offensive material is designed to create division and hatred in our community, it must not ever be allowed to succeed.
“I am pleased that the actions of Mr Lorenzini are now the subject of a Hate Crime investigation by Essex Police.
“I call upon Harlow Conservatives to fully explain why their vetting processes apparently failed to root out their colleague when it appears their claims of not knowing anything about his twitter account are clearly dubious given that a senior Tory Councillor was following it’.”
A Harlow Conservative spokesperson said:
“We were not aware of any such tweets. As soon as we were alerted to them we immediately removed him from our party and as a councillor.
“Those abhorrent views have no place in our society and we will never accept it.
“Within minutes of us being alerted to these tweets, he was removed from our party and no one in our party had any knowledge that he was tweeting these things.
“We are focussed on delivering for the people of Bush Fair tackling the issues in their street such as parking, anti-social behaviour and restoring pride.”
Tony Durcan
2022-05-17 12:38:34
Noticed he is active in health care according to his Twitter account. Very concerning due to the nature of his views.
Adam Osen
2022-05-17 12:46:33
The whole story didn’t add up. The story was that he said he had no social media accounts, unusual in itself, that his Twitter account was in an unusual name which is why nobody tracked it down but after the election he changed the name of his Twitter account. Why would anyone do that, lie about having an account, get away with it, and then make the account obvious? Then again, why would existing councillors overlook such odious views. I know that some people share those views, did they perhaps not realise how objectionable they are. Perhaps there are still some things we don’t know about this sorry tale.
Chris
2022-05-17 13:29:52
Very interesting point Adam! It's quite possible to be anybody without a trace on the internet now. More interestingly how people are automatically put out to dry based on something with no substance or weight, apart from public exposure. The account name is somewhat odd with numbers in and the person may be genuinely innocent caught in a phishing or scam account, or even setup.
Lee
2022-05-17 14:17:55
I believe Cllr Churchill is or was the group whip? If this is proven the case he has to resign. But this has to be proven also the selection panel also has to resign. This really isn’t on, these checks should have been done with the candidate at his interview and for Rob to say different is also unfounded and shows the party are clearly behind the times.
Lee
2022-05-17 14:44:09
Perhaps @yourharlow needs to ask who was on that panel and also what checks were done within the selection interview and I don’t buy there wasn’t enough time between interviews. Let’s hear the truth!
james nicholson
2022-05-17 17:08:53
Interesting to see Cllr Churchill was aware but did nothing. As someone not aligned with either major party it angers and saddens me, but does not shock me to know that those meant to hold the most power over us are happy to conceal racism provided it keeps us voting for them
Tony Durcan
2022-05-17 18:15:19
Interesting that none of the Tories are coming out to defend him either. They should at least remove the whip until this matter is reviewed by the Tory group. If they are true to their word then Nicks days are numbered. This must be sorted by next weeks full council otherwise it will be a complete farce. Confident Nick will do the right thing,soon…
Lostinthemiddle
2022-05-17 19:28:54
I’m not defending either of them, but I do find it hard to believe just because someone follows them on Twitter that they’d look through every tweet they’ve ever made. Unless it was his specific job to do so. I don’t know much about this story but trying not to be sensationalist about it all, this does seem a little clutching at straws. But I guess we won’t know until we hear from them. It’s also worth noting that some people raising this also followed Twitter accounts of Labour activists in the past general election who posted anti Israel stuff so honestly it works both ways. Both sides are as bad as each other. It makes local politics look petty…so much for all working to better the town when all time and effort is spent taking swipes at each other
KB
2022-05-17 21:00:40
Bigots, racists, sex offenders, frauds, criminals the Conservatives welcome all to their fold.
Mike Evans
2022-05-17 21:01:34
I see Detective Sherlock Durcan is sitting on his somewhat fragile pedestal again…awaiting the inevitable fall. The man is a complete charlatan and cheap opportunist. I know Nick Churchill. He is as much a racist as Tony Durcan is an intellectual. So no worries on that front.
Mark Gough
2022-05-18 11:45:44
Typical Labour. "We take offense at anything the Tories or other opponents do wrong, but do nothing about our own!" Their most recent Parliamentary candidate liked anti-Semitic posts on Twitter - action taken - none! Their last leader thrown out for doing nothing about anti-Semitism. And now they are putting out leaflets complaining about the cost of a by-election, when the last four by-elections in this town have all been due do Momentum - non-Momentum in fighting within the Labour Party!!! The hypocrisy is nothing short of staggering! And before anyone asks - no, I don't agree with anyone posting racist stuff on Social Media!!! No, I don't belong any Political Party either!!
James Leppard
2022-05-18 12:10:30
Mark Gough, you make some highly pertinent observations. Harlow Conservatives repudiate all forms of racial discrimination; one only needs to see the diversity of their Council members for confirmation of this assertion. Harlow Labour’s simulated indignation is nothing short of breathtaking hypocrisy, as you correctly point out. They clearly believe that public memory is so short and that their pathetic mudslinging will serve to conceal their abject failure in administration for a decade and their complete lack of any concrete proposals or policies for our town. This probably explains why, in a time of economic adversity in Government mid-term, they defied most national statistics in actually not increasing their overall vote in the recent local elections. In Harlow, lack of vision and tax and waste remains their trademark.
Mark Gough
2022-05-18 16:23:11
KB - I draw your attention to a website called Labour 25. It's riddled with Labour criminals and shows how biased you are. The truth of the matter is that political parties are massive organisations, and it's almost impossible to keep all the wronguns out. Even the Police can't do it can they! Hence mudslinging is pointless, and let's get on with getting a new hard working Councillor for Bush Fair!
Daniel Long
2022-05-18 16:33:23
Im not backing or supporting The conservative or Labour, because I don't trust any of them, when it comes to serving the people of Harlow or are the number one priority. Isn't it strange that the Labour party of Harlow are quick to come out with this matter regarding a Conservative councillor, when in the past one of their councillors made a racist comment in full council and at the time, nothing was done about this and no action was taken against that councillor at the time. I know this happened because I was in the council chamber on that evening. I am 100% against any form of discrimination.
Peter
2022-05-19 06:05:52
I trusted Nick Churchill with a very traumatic experience. As the father of a half native American daughter, I really feel Nick needs to explain himself here.
Steve Crewe
2022-05-24 14:33:35
I am still waiting for a court date. Totally abuse of power, Nick Churchill used his privileged position to access my personal information form Harlow Council computer. Gave the information to the police, using them for his own purposes.
Mark
2023-08-05 11:09:41
Has he denied this yet?
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