Met shelves Starkey race hate probe

SCoTLAND Yard yesterday announced a review of its race hate investigation into a blogger.

It said plans to interview Brexit campaigner Darren Grimes and historian David Starkey had been shelved until the probe was judged ‘proportionate’.

Politicians, lawyers and free speech campaigners have condemned the decision to investigate mr Grimes over a YouTube video in which Dr Starkey made a number of incendiary remarks.

In the June interview he said ‘ slavery was not genocide, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many damn blacks in Africa or in Britain, would there?’

Scotland Yard consulted the Crown Prosecution Service in July for advice after receiving an allegation that the broadcast incited racial hatred, an offence punishable by up to seven years in jail.

officers contacted mr Grimes on monday to ask him to attend an interview under caution tomorrow. A similar invitation was also sent to Dr Starkey but it was dismissed as a hoax.

Both interviews have been put on hold pending the internal police review. The decision follows concerns raised by Home Secretary Priti Patel.

And yesterday Ian murray of the Society of editors said: ‘The society is deeply concerned by the threat such an investigation poses to free speech.

‘It is wrong that the police should seek to hold a journalist accountable for the remarks of another.’

mr Grimes has admitted he should have ‘robustly questioned’ Dr Starkey about his views during the interview.

on Tuesday the historian said it was ‘grossly unfair’ that mr Grimes faced investigation for what he called ‘ my blundering use of language’.