Richard Tice: Sack peer who smeared me in Manchester Airport police row

Telegraph

11 hours ago

Richard Tice has demanded that a peer who suggested that he 'applauded' police brutality be sacked from her role advising ministers on the definition of Islamophobia.
Baroness Shaista Gohir condemned the response of Reform UK's deputy leader to footage of the Manchester Airport attack which went viral last summer.
The chief executive of Muslim Women's Network UK (MWNUK) appeared to suggest Mr Tice's comments in support of the police response would ' fuel further racism and Islamophobia '.
Lady Gohir has since been appointed to the working group on Anti-Muslim Hatred, working to define Islamophobia for the Government.
Ministers have faced criticism over the process of drawing up the definition, which has sparked concerns that the current proposals could have a 'chilling effect' on free speech.
Mr Tice has now written to the chairman of the group to say her response to his remarks 'raises serious concerns' about her role, as well as the prospect of introducing a legal definition of Islamophobia.
He has also sent a letter to the Law Commission, of which Lady Gohir is a non-executive director. The commission has said it would 'consider the letter from Mr Tice carefully'.
Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, was convicted last week of punching Pc Lydia Ward in the face, causing a broken nose, and also of assaulting Pc Ellie Cook.
The assault happened on July 23 last year, when Amaaz and his brother, both from Rochdale, Greater Manchester, went to the airport to collect their mother.
A fellow passenger who had been on the same flight reported being headbutted in the face by Amaaz during an altercation in a branch of Starbucks in the airport's Terminal 2.
When three Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers approached Amaaz to arrest him in connection with the incident, he lashed out before his brother allegedly intervened.
A video of the altercation between the brothers and the police appeared to show Pc Zachary Marsden kicking and stamping on Amaaz during his arrest.
He and another officer, who are under investigation over the way Amaaz was detained, face possible gross misconduct charges over the use of force and could be sacked if found guilty.
When partial footage of the incident first emerged on social media, Mr Tice told TalkTV: 'Police officers do not use tasers unless they are genuinely concerned for the safety of the public and themselves. This is not distressing; this is reassuring.'
Lady Gohir, in her capacity as head of MWNUK, said in a statement last July: 'What is further concerning is that on social media many have praised the police response, including Richard Tice MP of the Reform Party, who described it as 'reassuring'.
'When police brutality is applauded by influential public figures, it is likely to fuel further racism and Islamophobia.'
Writing to Dominic Grieve, the chairman of the working group on Anti-Muslim Hatred, Mr Tice said: 'Following the Manchester Airport incident in July last year, I immediately questioned the initial narrative presented in the partial video that was released, noting the use of tasers by the police.
'I publicly defended the actions of the officers. Two days later, Baroness Gohir issued an aggressive press statement accusing the police of brutality, and accusing me of supporting such brutality and of fuelling racism and Islamophobia'.
He added: 'Had a law on Islamophobia been in place at the time, it is entirely plausible that I could have been prosecuted, convicted and removed from my position as a Member of Parliament based on entirely false and erroneous accusations.
'Concerns about Baroness Gohir's credibility'
'This highlights not only the dangers of introducing an Islamophobia blasphemy law, but also raises serious concerns about Baroness Gohir's credibility and suitability to serve on your working group'.
Concerns have been raised by opposition MPs to the process by which the Government is working to define Islamophobia.
Claire Coutinho, the shadow equalities minister, claimed that the way in which it was being drawn up was insufficiently open and those working on it were 'activists with extreme views on how to define Islamophobia'.
The communities department, headed by Angela Rayner, has insisted that the group is independent and will provide 'evidence-based advice' to ministers.
Mr Tice demanded an apology from Lady Gohir in the wake of the verdicts last week, but Lady Gohir said: 'My remarks were grounded in principles of human rights and accountability – not in any defence of criminal behaviour.
'Given longstanding concerns about the disproportionate use of force against ethnic minorities, it is both appropriate and necessary to scrutinise police conduct, especially when a person is already restrained and poses no ongoing threat.'
She also accused Mr Tice of spreading 'misinformation' after he accused her of having 'defended' Amaaz.
MWNUK said it welcomed a guilty verdict in Amaaz's case, and that 'those who commit violent offences must be held accountable and face appropriate legal consequences'.
A spokesman for the Law Commission said: 'We will consider the letter from Mr Tice carefully and will respond in due course.'