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An interesting choice of Tory keynote speaker at the Russian Embassy

August 22, 2012 12:16 pm

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Guido Fawkes reports that John Whittingdale was the keynote speaker at the launch of Conservative Friends of Russia, which took place at the Russian Embassy last night.

Whittingdale is of course the Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport select committee, which is an interesting choice, considering how some aspects of Russian culture are being dealt with at the moment…

Back in 2010 Whittingdale said:

“I am fundamentally opposed to censorship. I believe that in a free society it is up to adults to choose what they wish to see”

Fair enough – but where does he stand on the censorship, arrest and imprisonment of Russian punk musicians?

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mike-Homfray/510980099 Mike Homfray

    Does this mean friends of Russia, or supporters of the Putin regime?

    • jaime taurosangastre candelas

      It would be hard to imagine the tories supporting Putin, so perhaps they really are trying to be friends of the Russian people, whatever they understand that may mean?

  • JoeDM

    A punk band of minimal talent  in search of publicity desecrates a church  and are dealt with rather harshly by the Russian  courts.  

    I wonder how an all girl punk group  that did something similar in a mosqe in Egypt or  Parkistan would be dealt with?

    Why bring the Conservative Friends of Russia into this?

  • Brumanuensis

    In fairness to Whittingdale, he did mention Pussy Riot apparently: http://cfor.org.uk/russia-has-got-new-conservative-friends/

  • markfergusonuk

    If so, I stand corrected. Yet it’s the signal it sends by going I worry about
    –
    Mark Ferguson

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