Tory councillor arrested over stoning tweet

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By Mark Ferguson / @markfergusonuk

A Tory councillor in Birmingham has been suspended from the Conservative Party and arrested over a tweet sent last night (now deleted from Twitter) in which he appeared to suggest that a female Muslim journalist should be “stoned to death”.

Politics Home reported this afternoon that a Conservative spokesperson revealed Councillor Garteh Compton has been suspended from the party:

“Language of this sort is not acceptable and as a result Gareth Compton’s membership of the Conservative party has been indefinitely suspended pending further review.”

The Mirror meanwhile has confirmation from the West Midlands police that Compton was arrested and bailed:

“We can confirm a 38-year-old man from Harborne has been arrested for an offence under section 127 (1a) of the Communications Act of 2003 on suspicion of sending an offensive or indecent message.”

Speaking in the house this afternoon, leader of the house Sir George Youngsought to distance the Tories from the councillor’s actions:

“Stoning to death is a barbarous form of punishment which the government and I am sure every honourable member of this house deplores, and I hope that no elected person will threaten any member of our society with that sort of punishment.”

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