The frontrunner to become the Tory mayoral candidate was accused of publishing “intolerant, hateful” messages on social media in a heated row with her rival.
Moz Hossain claimed that tweets by Susan Hall in 2014 about the reality TV star Gemma Collins – who she called a “stupid, fat blonde woman” when she appeared on I’m A Celebrity – meant she would not appeal to a wide cross-section of London voters.
But Ms Hall hit back by claiming that Mr Hossain, a criminal barrister who has no political experience, had no idea how City Hall or London politics worked after her questioned what she had done to stop the Met police going into special measures.
As a London Assembly member, Mr Hall has no political control over the running of the Met. She said of Mr Hossain: “He doesn’t understand how London works.”
The exchange – on a LBC radio hustings – saw an outbreak of hostilities between the two candidates a week before the Conservatives announce their candidate to take on Labour mayor Sadiq Khan next May. About 20,000 London Tory members have been voting for their preferred choice.
Tory Central Office had previously advised the candidates to avoid “blue on blue” attacks, especially after a third candidate, Dan Korski, was forced to withdraw.
Asked about the tweets, Ms Hall admitted she had been “a bit mean”. But she said she had a large Twitter following because she spoke her mind. “It was unkind,” she said. “I have not called anybody that since. Sometimes I just say what I’m thinking.”
