Conservative general election candidate who was suspended over antisemitism is still a councillor for the party in Aberdeen
A general election candidate suspended by the Scottish Conservative Party is still a councillor for the Party on Aberdeen City Council.
Ryan Houghton, had been the Conservatives’ candidate for Aberdeen North until it was discovered that he had written on a martial arts forum seven years ago, under the psedonym Razgriz, that although there was “no credible evidence to suggest the Holocaust did not happen” nevertheless “I do find some of the events fabricated, and exegarated [sic] in some cases.”
He continued: “As history is written by the victors there is always going to be a bit of re-writing.” He also praised the “interesting” research of the antisemitic Holocaust-denier, David Irving. However, in a later post he said that he was “not defending David’s Irving’s views” and that he does not agree with “some of the stuff he says.”
According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Denying the fact, scope, mechanisms (e.g. gas chambers) or intentionality of the genocide of the Jewish people at the hands of National Socialist Germany and its supporters and accomplices during World War II (the Holocaust)” is an example of antisemitism.
Mr Houghton was suspended as a candidate by the Party, albeit that he remained on the ballot because his nomination papers were already submitted, but he no longer represented the Conservative Party, which withdrew support for him.
However, Mr Houghton still serves on the council as business manager and vice-convener of the staff governance committee. An attempt to remove him from the position reportedly failed when Conservative and Labour councillors joined forces to vote it down.
The Conservative group leader and co-leader of the council, Douglas Lumsden said that Mr Houghton was “innocent until proven guilty,” adding: “I think it would be wrong for us to remove someone from their role when these are just accusations at present and they’re being investigated by the party. The Conservative Party takes things very seriously and there is a full investigation taking place.”