‘Respectable racism’ blamed on politicians

Mainstream politicians have helped fuel a surge in “respectable racism”, former Tory Cabinet minister Baroness Wa r s i has warned.

Lady Warsi, the first Muslim woman to attend Cabinet when she was cochairwoman of the Conservative Party, expressed concern that the tone of the BrexitandLondonmayoral campaigns had helped allow a climate of intimidation.

“I was still disgusted, but more comfortable, with the racism of the 70s and 80s that was overt and thuggish, than this new form of respectable xenophobia where it is done in political circles, journalism, and academia,” the Tory peer told The Guardian.

Lady Warsi accused politicians of being responsible for the spike in hate crime after the EU referendum r e s u l t was announced.

“I do not hold anybody who voted for Brexit responsible for the rise in racism; I don’t hold people who believed in Brexit responsible; but I definitely hold politicians, who put out divisive xenophobic messages and posters, responsible, because this created the atmosphere in which this thrived.

“What is the kind of Britain we are starting to create? People were saying: ‘Why should she wear a headscarf ?’. What next: why should people wear a skull cap? Why should people wear a turban?

“When politicians express shock and condemn the rise of hate crime, what I ask is, take a long, hard look at yourselves first.”

The peer was also critical ofToryMPZacGoldsmith’s controversial campaign to be London mayor in which he repeatedly warned that Labour’s Sadiq Khan had shared platforms with extremists. “This concept of the enemy within and fifth columnists, which was raised by people like Ukip, has now started to creep into mainstream politics. And that is why – however much I wanted London to be governed by a Tory mayor – I didn’t think the means justified the ends,” she said.

Lady Warsi said she was nowashamedofhomophobic material she used in previous campaigns. Tax and spending policy could be “reset” if the economy takes a downturn following the EU referendum result, Philip Hammond has said.

The chancellor said he is ready to use the Autumn Statement mini-Budget to set the economy on a different course if analysis shows the Brexit vote has had an impact.

Mr Hammond, who is visiting China, said: “Over

“Responsible for the spike in hate crime after the EU referendum”