Grimes faces police questions over Starkey
Darren Grimes, the conservative commentator, is under police investigation on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred over an interview he published with David Starkey, the historian. In Mr Grimes’s podcast, Dr Starkey said slavery was not genocide because there are “so many damn blacks”. Mr Grimes is accused of committing a public order offence and has been asked to attend a police station to be interviewed under caution.
DARREN GRIMES is being investigated by police on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred over an interview he published with David Starkey, the historian, it has emerged.
The conservative commentator has been asked to attend a police station to be i nterviewed under caution for broadcasting a podcast in which Dr Starkey said slavery was not genocide because there are “so many damn blacks”.
Experts warned that the investigation by the Metropolitan Police would have a “chilling effect” on free speech.
Mr Grimes is accused of committing a public order offence of stirring up racial hatred by broadcasting the interview on his podcast on July 2, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
He apologised for publishing the remarks in the days after the interview and Dr Starkey’s career lies in ruins, with him losing all his academic titles and book deals.
Mr Grimes said in a statement: “At a time when many in our country are facing uncertainty and financial hardship, I cannot imagine a more contemptible way for the Metropolitan Police to abuse taxpayers’ money and the trust of citizens than by investigating the vexatious claim.” He said the threat of arrest had “serious repercussions for freedom of expression”.
The interview provoked a furious backlash when it was published on the Youtube channel Reasoned UK in the summer, with Sajid Javid, the former chancellor, among critics of the comments made during a discussion of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Dr Starkey was swiftly “cancelled” and dropped by his publishers HarperCollins, resigned from his honorary fell owship at Fitz william College, Cambridge, sacked as a visiting professor at Canterbury Christ Church University and forced to resign his Royal Historical Society fellowship.
Dr Starkey, who has also apologised for his remarks, could not be contacted for comment last night.
He told The Telegraph last month, he “used an inanely silly form of words” but said that his response was a “deliberately gross overreaction”.
Luke Gittos, of Murrays Partnership, Mr Grimes’ solicitor, described the investigation as an “unprecedented use of public order legislation”.
Mr Grimes is supported by the Free Speech Union, who described the accusations as “absurd”. Toby Young, its general secretary, said: “The only hatred Dr Starkey stirred up was against himself.
“Mr Grimes himself publicly apologised for having broadcast Dr Starkey’s remarks, saying he ‘should have robustly questioned Dr Starkey about his comments’. Plainly, Mr Grimes would never have made this announcement if he had intended to stir up racial hatred in a broadcast only days earlier.”
Mr Young questioned whether journalists would now be arrested over the comments of interviewees and whether similar action was being taken against a Sky News presenter who interviewed rapper Wiley when he made offensive comments about Jewish people.
He added: “In a free and democratic society, it is paramount that journalists and broadcasters are permitted to interview a wide range of people, including those likely to make controversial remarks. Threatening them with arrest if their interviewees say something offensive will have a chilling effect on free speech.”
The public order offence which Mr Grimes is charged with carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
Scotland Yard said last night: “On July 4, the Metropolitan Police Service was passed an allegation from Durham Police of a public order offence relating to a social media video posted online on June 30.
“The matter is currently being investigated. No arrests.”
understands that Dr Starkey has not been contacted by the police.