The chairman of the Conservative Party youth movement has said she is ‘ashamed’ of former Tory Chairman Sayeeda Warsi over her views on Gaza. Alexandra Paterson’s comments came at a private drinks reception in Conservative HQ last week as she introduced the Deputy Israeli Ambassador.
The text of Patterson’s speech, a copy of which has been seen by Breitbart London, said: “As chairman of Conservative Future I am ashamed of the disgraceful comments of Sayeeds Warsi about the Gaza conflict.
“Apologists for terrorists and those who justify or excuse the murder of British citizens should have no place in the leadership of our party. I bow to no one in my support for Israel and hopefully tonight is the start of an ongoing relationship between CF and the [Israeli] Embassy.”
Warsi was chairman of the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2012, at which point she became Britain’s first Muslim cabinet minister. In her role she presided over a party that threw a number of right-wingers off the candidates list in what the media called a “purge”.
In government she was a strong supporter of Palestinian recognition and during Operation Protective Edge she said: “Our position not to recognise Palestinian statehood at the UN in November 2012 placed us on the wrong side of history and is something I deeply regret not speaking out against at the time.”
Following her resignation from government she said: “It appals me that the British Government continues to allow the sale of weapons to a country, Israel, that has killed almost 2,000 people, including hundreds of kids, in the past four weeks alone. The arms exports to Israel must stop.”
During Operation Protective Edge the IDF responded to rocket attacks into Israel by hitting targets in Gaza. Whilst most Western governments supported the Israeli’s there has been significant criticism from left-wing groups.
Paterson’s comments are likely to delight the Conservative Leadership, who are said to be privately furious about Warsi’s continued attacks. The youth boss made her speech at the Conservative Future Christmas Party, at the Tory Headquarters in Westminster. The speech was watched by around a hundred young people and the Vice-Chairman of the party responsible for young people.
Her introduction of Deputy Ambassador Eitan Na’eh is also rumoured to have gone down well in the Israeli Embassy, which is much more accustomed to criticisms at political events. One young person in attendance said: “The Deputy Ambassador made a very moderate speech, he’s clearly used to having to come across well to politicos who dislike Israel.
“I honestly think he was taken aback by Paterson’s support for the country and her attack on Warsi. Although let’s be clear, no one in the room objected to her views on Warsi. Our only regret is she was given a position in government to start with.”
Senior sources at Conservative Campaign Headquarters have confirmed Warsi is ‘persona non grata’ and one said: “we welcome the voluntary party distancing themselves from this odious woman.”
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