Online troll convicted of sending ‘hanging from a tree monkey boy’ racist death threat to Labour MP David Lammy is 12-time Conservative election candidate
- Glenn Broadbent, 62, was fined £2,000 after sending racist message to the MP
- The 12-time Tory election candidate used a pseudonym to tweet David Lammy
- The Shadow Foreign Secretary contacted police, leading to Broadbent’s arrest
An online troll who was convicted of sending a racist death threat to Labour MP David Lammy has been revealed as a 12-time Conservative election candidate.
Glenn Broadbent, 62, was fined £2,000 in May after he admitted using a pseudonym to send a racist message to the Tottenham MP on Twitter.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Mr Lammy said the revelation raises ‘serious questions’ for the Tories to answer.
In the tweet, Broadbent wrote: ‘Are you hanging from a tree monkey boy? You will hang from a lamppost if you are not careful.’
Mr Lammy then highlighted the message to his followers and asked police to investigate the matter, leading to Broadbent’s arrest.
Glenn Broadbent, 62, was fined £2,000 in May after he admitted using a pseudonym to send a racist message to the Tottenham MP on Twitter
And following his conviction, it has emerged that Broadbent had stood for election to Leeds Council as a Tory candidate on 12 occasions over the past 40 years.
He was also quoted as a spokesperson for his local branch of the party last summer.
After Broadbent’s political affiliations were revealed, Mr Lammy said yesterday it was ‘despicable’ that he’d been allowed to run for office.
He said: ‘It’s truly despicable that a 12-time Conservative candidate sent me a racist death threat.
‘This raises serious questions for the Conservatives about the prevalence of anti-Black racism in their party.’
A spokesperson for the Conservative party said: ‘Mr Broadbent is no longer a member of the Conservative Party. We utterly deplore these comments.’
Labour MP David Lammy said yesterday it was ‘despicable’ that Glenn Broadbent had been allowed to run for office
Broadbent said he was ‘deeply ashamed’ of his behaviour and the distress he had caused to Mr Lammy and confirmed he had resigned from the party.
Mr Lammy highlighted the distressing tweet in August 2020 to his 750,000 social media followers, where he asked police to investigate and said, ‘Vile racists will not silence me.’
Two months later, he called out Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, claiming officers couldn’t look into the matter as the social media company had ‘refused to assist in their investigation’.
Broadbent was later convicted on May 27 this year for sending a message which was grossly offensive and menacing, contrary to the Communications Act 2003.
And along with his fine, he was given a 12-month suspended sentence, ordered to pay court costs and banned from contacting Mr Lammy in the future.
But after he was sentenced, public records revealed he unsuccessfully stood for election to Leeds Council, West Yorkshire, on 12 occasions between 1983 and 2008.
In June last year, he was also quoted as a spokesperson for the Farnley and Wortley Conservatives in an online story about a consultation on the relocation of a local Post Office.
In a statement issued after his conviction, Broadbent said there was ‘no excuse’ for his behaviour and said he resigned from the Tory Party six days before the court hearing.
He wrote: ‘This offence was committed almost two years ago, I cannot recall the exact circumstances other than I was in drink and was browsing Twitter.
‘There can be no excuse for my behaviour.
Broadbent said that there can be ‘no excuse’ for his behaviour and is ‘deeply ashamed’ of the offence
‘I am deeply ashamed of the offence and the distress caused to David Lammy MP, his family and any other persons who were offended by my message.
‘Considering the recent murder of Sir David Amess MP, I realise how irresponsible and disgusting my actions were.
‘No public servant should be subjected to such behaviour and there are no excuses for my behaviour. I extend my sincere apologies to David Lammy MP.
‘I know members of Leeds City Conservative Federation will be disgusted by my behaviour and rightly so.
‘I also know that the members I know are good people trying their best to help their communities. My comments have no place in an open, inclusive and diverse Conservative Party.’
Broadbent, who admitted using a pseudonym to send a racist message to the Tottenham MP on Twitter, described his actions as ‘irresponsible and disgusting’
In 2008, during the run-up to a local by-election, Broadbent attracted national attention due to his controversial Facebook posts.
In one he wrote: ‘Proud to be English and sick of paying tax to support lazy people, imported spongers and subsidising the Scots and the Welsh’.
After criticism by Welsh politicians, he issued an apology ‘for any offence caused’ and said there was ‘certainly no intention to do so’.
Following Broadbent’s sentencing, Chief Superintendent Damien Miller of West Yorkshire Police said: ‘No-one should have to endure the kind of disgusting racist abuse that was directed at Mr Lammy.
‘Members of Parliament can be particular targets for threats and abuse, either directly or online, and we continue to work closely with them and their staff to safeguard and reassure them as they carry out their vital public duty.’
The Conservative Party has been approached for further comment.
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