Conservative candidate and former Boris Johnson adviser faces calls to step down over ‘disgusting’ racism Anthony Browne blamed immigrants for bringing HIV to the UK and accused Muslims of having ‘divided loyalties’

A Conservative Party candidate and former adviser to Boris Johnson is facing calls to stand down after Labour accused him of “disgusting racism”.

Anthony Browne blamed immigrants for bringing HIV to the UK and accused Muslims of having “divided loyalties” in writings from 2002 and 2003.

Labour has called on the Prime Minister to ensure Mr Browne is not allowed to run in South Cambridgeshire, where he is currently slated to stand.

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In his book, Do We Need Mass Immigration?, Mr Browne wrote: “The fact that African immigration has overtaken gay sex as the main cause of HIV in Britain is a sign that Europe can no longer ignore the entirely preventable Aids holocaust consuming the continent next door. But the solution is to treat the majority where they live, rather than the small number who can make it to Britain to access HIV treatment on the NHS.”

Linked HIV to immigrants

And in an article in The Spectator, he said “curbing the influx of HIV immigrants” would be a better way to tackle the disease than encouraging people to wear condoms.

“It is not through letting in terrorists that the government’s policy of mass migration – especially from the third world – will claim the most lives. It is through letting in too many germs,” he added.

In his book, Mr Browne wrote of British Muslim leaders during the Iraq war: “Whatever the merits or demerits of war on Iraq, it is hardly a national strength to have a large minority with such divided loyalties during war.”

‘Disgusting racism’

Naz Shah, the shadow women and equalities minister, told The Guardian: “This is disgusting racism. It’s shocking that someone with such despicable views has been selected to stand for the Conservative Party.

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“Given his personal relationship with Anthony Browne, Boris Johnson should personally intervene and remove him as a candidate.”

The Liberal Democrat candidate for South Cambridgeshire, Ian Sollom, said: “The fact that the Conservative Party are now being represented by candidates like this shows just how divisive and extreme they have become.

“They should urgently consider whether Anthony Browne is a suitable candidate to represent their party in light of these remarks.”

Previous apology

Mr Browne previously addressed these remarks after being named Mr Johnson’s policy director when the latter was Mayor of London.

He said he went through a phase of being “deliberately provocative”, adding: “I do very much regret any offence caused by any past newspaper articles. It really never was my intention to cause offence, but to provoke debate.

“The articles, which I deeply regret writing, also don’t give a fair reflection of my views. I want to make clear that I am emphatically not anti-immigration.”

A Conservative Party spokesman told The Guardian: “These comments were made over 15 years ago, Anthony Browne has apologised for these comments and sincerely regrets them.”

i has contacted the Conservative Party and Mr Browne for comment.