A WORCESTERSHIRE MP contacted the police over a racist email from a former UKIP candidate about the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence which he described as the most offensive he had ever seen.
Sir Peter Luff, MP for Mid-Worcestershire, reported the offensive email about Doreen Lawrence to the police because he was so appalled by its content .
The email, sent to Sir Peter by former UKIP candidate John White, questioned the decision to make Mrs Lawrence a baroness and included an attachment by a man calling himself ‘Pete Lucas’.
Mr Luff declined to forward on the correspondence, but the contents has been reported in the national Press.
In it, Mr Lucas describes the peerage as ‘treason’ and says this ‘latest ludicrous elevation of an ethnic-minority woman to baroness on the grounds of her being black with the distinction of having had a son murdered (sic) by white-men, is a crass injustice’.
Sir Peter said he received the email on August 2 last year and after seeking advice from a number of people, including colleagues, decided to report it to police on August 5.
“I get the odd, offensive email but I would say it is the single most extraordinarily offensive email I have received, ever. It was so unpleasant,” he said.
Sir Peter, who has never met the Lawrence family, praised their dignity and said Baroness Lawrence deserved her place in the Lords. He added that he had corresponded with Mr White at the time to tell him how truly appalled he was by the email.
A spokesman for West Mercia Police said the force investigated and concluded there was no criminal offence.
He added: “However the individual who forwarded the material from another source was spoken to and advised of the implications of redistributing this kind of material. The matter was recorded as a hate crime incident.”
Mr White told a national newspaper he did not know who Pete Lucas was.
“I don’t understand why the Stephen Lawrence case is still going on. It’s been 21 years and it’s time everyone moved on. That’s why I sent it. I still agree with it.”
UKIP failed to comment in time for our deadline. Mr White is understood to no longer be a member of UKIP.
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