THE Tories dismissed complaints that Lee Anderson associated with the far right before he was made deputy chair of the party, The Sunday National can reveal.
This paper has also obtained images of a woman who Anderson has publicly called "Aunty" and said he is “proud to call … a friend” holding a banner declaring support for the far-right English Defence League (EDL).
A complaint about Anderson – put in days before Rishi Sunak took over as Prime Minister and dismissed weeks after – claimed the Tory MP was “a personal friend” of people known to “flaunt their [far-right] beliefs”.
The complaint made specific reference to Martin “Fluke” Dudley, saying it was a “provable fact” that he “is or has been a member of the BNP”. A wikileaks data file of BNP contacts from 2007/08 lists Dudley as an “activist”, and he has confirmed to Nottinghamshire Live that he was a member in the past.
Dudley, as The National has previously reported, has the white supremacist “Celtic Cross” symbol tattooed on his leg (shown above).
He has also been seen wearing a T-shirt bearing the symbol alongside the words “No Remorse White Pride” on multiple occasions – including once in a post on Anderson’s own Facebook page, according to Private Eye.
In a Facebook comment seen by The Sunday National, Dudley responded to a question about how long he had known Anderson by saying: “Actually I’ve known Lee for about 40 year’s [sic] is that OK.”
Asked about his white supremacist clothing and tattoo, Dudley (picture below with Anderson) told The Mirror last week: “I wear what I want and have any tattoo I want, OK?” He told Nottingham Live it was “a joke” that he was being linked to the far right.
Anderson has rejected reports connecting him to people with far-right views as politically-motivated smears, saying that he meets many people without enquiring about their personal beliefs. He says he does not support any far-right group and deplores all types of racism.
Dismissing the complaint – which The Sunday National understands was one of many sent in by concerned locals at around the same time, the Tory Party said: “Member’s [sic] of Parliament meet many individuals in the course of their work. This involvement does not indicate endorsement of views held by any individual.”
The Sunday National can reveal that Anderson – who was made Tory deputy chair earlier in February – has apparently deeper connections with people who are prepared to associate themselves with far-right views.
In a Facebook post from May 2020, the Tory MP highlighted “local hero” Tray Greatorex, adding: “I am proud to call her a friend.”
In her response to the post, Greatorex (pictured above with Anderson) wrote: “Lee thankyou, means alot to me, proud to be your friend also xx.”
The two have engaged in public on Facebook on multiple occasions. In one post, Anderson referred to Greatorex as “Aunty Tray”. In his response to a comment elsewhere, Anderson called Greatorex “mate”.
Pictures shown to The Sunday National suggest that Greatorex has expressed support for the far-right English Defence League (EDL).
One image shared with this paper shows Greatorex, alongside her partner Ian and two other men, holding a banner which reads: “ENGLISH DEFENCE LEAGUE. OUR TROOPS ARE HEROES. DERBYSHIRE DIVISION.”
In another, which The Sunday National unearthed, Ian Greatorex holds a flag which reads: “English Defence League. No Surrender. Fuck Isis.” Tray Greatorex has commented on and “liked” the photo.
On a post from Anderson, which features a photo of him with Greatorex, her partner Ian commented: “Yes was good to see you Lee keep up the good work.”
Approached by the Sunday National, Greatorex said: "Lee Anderson didn't know about my past involvement [with the EDL] and still doesn't know."
The fresh revelations come after The Mirror reported Anderson had been photographed with still more people who appeared to hold far right views.
Nathan Bratby, a regular at the “Skegby Scooter Club” alongside Dudley, has been pictured with Anderson and separately wearing T-shirts of the logos of neo-Nazi bands Skrewdriver and Whitelaw, who have songs about white power and lyrics praising Adolf Hitler.
Another named Paul Reeson – who was photographed shaking hands with Anderson – published a social media post telling British Muslims: “This is England, my England. If you don’t like me, or my fellow English men and women, leave our shores ... or feel the wrath of the steel in my hand.”
Anderson has posted more than once in praise of the scooter club, saying its members are “real salt of the earth people” who “make me feel proud to be Ashfield born and bred”.
However, in a post put out on Facebook last week, the Tory MP moved to distance himself from its members, claiming he had only met the Skegby Scooter Club three times.
He wrote: “On all three occasions I had pictures taken with dozens of people. I did not ask if any had far right connections I just had pictures taken at the events.
“The press have picked up that one of the people I was pictured with supports a rock band from the 90s that supports far right supremacy and another was a BNP member 25 years ago.
“The depths that some people will go to in order to besmirch my family name is incredible.
I will not insult people by asking them about their past when have [sic] photos taken at charity events.
“I do not support any far right groups and deplore all types of racism. I wonder if the media will be as quick to share the facts?”
David Hennigan, an independent who sits on Ashfield District Council who did not have knowledge of the complaints made to the Tory Party, told The Sunday National the claims of only three meetings were “bullsh*t”.
Hennigan went on: “We’ve got this situation where Anderson says ‘I’ve not nothing to do with white supremacists’, that’s the line that’s coming from the Tories. The reality is that everybody knows in Ashfield that Anderson is up to his neck with groups like the Skegby Scooter Club.”
He further said that Anderson was focusing on flashpoint issues such as immigration to avoid the things which are really impacting on people in Ashfield.
“You hear that ‘choice between heating and eating’, in Ashfield people have lost that choice,” Hennigan said. “They can’t afford to heat or eat.
“Anderson claims that people in Ashfield are worried sick about immigration. But there are no asylum seekers who live in Ashfield. Not one. The only people concerned about small boats here are ex-Bullseye winners!”
Neither Anderson nor the Conservative Party responded to The Sunday National’s request for comment.
