Brandon Lewis urges Jeremy Corbyn to expel Labour aide who said Theresa May would 'look better with a noose'

Jeremy Corbyn
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader Credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Europe

A Labour parliamentary aide who said Theresa May would “look better with a noose around her neck” must be kicked out of the party, Brandon Lewis has told Jeremy Corbyn.

The Conservative Party chairman has written to Mr Corbyn to urge him to remove Paul Robertson, an assistant to Ian Lavery, the chairman of the Labour Party, over his “violent, misogynistic comments”.

Mr Lewis said the remarks were “deeply concerning” and “abhorrent” as he said Mr Corbyn needed to act in order to live up to his promise of a “kinder politics”.

In the letter, seen by The Telegraph, he said: “As you will no doubt have seen from press reports, Paul Robertson – who works for Mr Lavery as a Parliamentary Assistant – posted violent, misogynistic comments about the Prime Minister on his personal Facebook account.

“Responding to a comment from one of his friends asking why he continued to post pictures of ‘that ugly harridan’, Robertson said that the Prime Minister would ‘look better with a noose around her neck’. He suggested hanging the Prime Minister.

Brandon Lewis
Brandon Lewis, the chairman of the Conservative Party Credit: Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph

“These comments are abhorrent and represent the kind of disgusting, sexist abuse that we all have a duty to stamp out from public life.”

Mr Lewis said that when Mr Corbyn became Labour leader he had promised a “kinder politics”.

He said: “But time and time again, we see people within Labour given a free pass after they do and say things which ought to have no place in public life. Enough is enough.

“It is now time for you to take action, live up to your promise, and remove Robertson from the Labour Party. If not now, when?”

Mr Lewis said Mr Corbyn had “failed to take swift action against abuse” in the past and “I hope you do not fail again”.

Mr Corbyn’s spokesman said on Wednesday that Mr Robertson’s comments were “unacceptable”.

Mr Robertson said in a statement: "I apologise unreservedly for making this highly inappropriate and offensive comment over the weekend, which I have now deleted. I also apologise to Mr Lavery for having caused embarrassment to his office."


A spokesperson for Mr Lavery said: "This comment is wholly unacceptable. All those working for the Labour Party or for Members of Parliament have a particular responsibility to ensure the highest possible standards of behaviour and this has been reiterated to all of Mr Lavery's staff."

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