Well, this is awkward: Now the Tories have re-selected a Tooting MP candidate with “extremist” ties
The Conservatives have reselected a by-election candidate for Tooting, despite reported links with a man David Cameron has called an extremist.
The Conservatives have confirmed local campaigner Dan Watkins will again seek to win the Tooting parliamentary seat in a by-election.
However, it comes despite reports Watkins enlisted the support of Tooting imam Suliman Gani in his 2015 campaign.
According to communications obtained by LBC, Watkins personally contacted Gani during the run up to the 2015 election, inviting him to a meeting designed to encourage the local muslim community to stand as councillors.
Watkins also asked Gani bring along local people, and members of the community.
However, ahead of the London mayoral campaign, Cameron cited then-Tooting MP Sadiq Khan's willingness to associate with Gani as evidence of being soft on extremism.
“If we are going to condemn not just violent extremism but the extremism that seeks to justify violence in any way, it is very important that we do not back these people or appear on platforms with them,” Cameron said at PMQs on 20 April.
“The right hon. Member for Tooting [Khan] has appeared on a platform with Suliman Gani nine times; this man supports IS.”
Gani has firmly denied any support for the Islamic State terror group, otherwise known as Daesh, and just over two weeks later, Cameron has issued an apology in Parliament, stating: “I was referring to reports that Mr Gani supports an Islamic state. I am clear that this does not mean Mr Gani supports the organisation Daesh and I apologise to him for any misunderstanding.”
The Tooting seat was vacated by Khan following his election as Mayor of London earlier this month.
Tooting has been a Labour seat since 1997, athough the Conservatives have steadily reduced the majority since then, and Watkins lost to Khan by just over 2500 votes last year.
Watkins will compete with Labour candidate Dr Rosena Allin-Khan for the seat.
The Conservative Party did not respond to request for comment.