Tory activist claims govt has made ‘party look a bit silly’ in ongoing sleaze row

Co-Founder of Conservatives Against Racism, Albie Mankona, has said the government has made “party look a bit silly” in the ongoing sleaze row. 

In reference to the U-turn on Owen Paterson’s suspension, which he said MPs should have initially voted to approve, he told GB News: “Now me and my party look a bit silly, and there are all of these other allegations of alleged Tory sleaze which are coming out.”

The Sunday Times reported yesterday that transport secretary Grant Shapps had set up the Airfield Advisory Team (AAT), which had objected to plans for housing development at an ex-airfield in Oxfordshire, part of the government’s plans to expand housing.

The transport department has insisted the AAT was an independent advisory body.

Mankona said “the story is not going away,” emphasising that the UK is experiencing a housing crisis, and that Shapps alleged lobbying went against the Prime Minister’s pledge to make home ownership a “British dream” for young people.

“It seems to me that this has been a massive own goal,” he went on.