Elham Asaad Buaras
A Conservative Party candidate standing in North Harrow has been suspended after an investigation uncovered a series of racist social media posts in which he told British MPs to “go back to Pakistan” and questioned the nationality of several public figures.
William Jackson, who had been selected to contest a seat in one of London’s most diverse boroughs, has previously stood in several elections for the Conservatives, including the 2022 Harrow on the Hill local election, where he received 1,116 votes but was not elected, and the 2024 London Assembly elections, where he was also unsuccessful. He is currently listed as the party’s candidate for North Harrow in the 2026 Harrow local elections.
However, a report revealed he had repeatedly targeted non-white British politicians—particularly those of South Asian heritage—with abusive remarks on the social media platform X over recent months.
Among those targeted were several MPs. Jackson directed comments at Apsana Begum, the MP for Poplar and Limehouse, telling her to “go back to Bangladesh”. He also posted remarks aimed at Adnan Hussain, the MP for Blackburn, saying “we need to bully you back to Pakistan”. Similar messages were directed at Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South, including calls for her deportation.
He also questioned the British identity of Jeevun Sandher, the MP for Loughborough, and Imran Hussain, the MP for Bradford East. Jackson further suggested that public figures including Anthony Joshua and Dua Lipa were not British.
In another post, responding to footage appearing to show a Black woman committing a crime, Jackson wrote “windrush working out well then”, in a comment invoking the Windrush generation.
The controversy also extended to political figures, with Jackson replying to a post by Nick Timothy, the Shadow Lord Chancellor, who had shared an image of council communications in Urdu on April 10. Jackson responded with a remark about “700 cousins” living in overcrowded housing, echoing familiar racist stereotypes.
The revelations came after a Byline Times investigation published on April 13, which first exposed the posts and sparked political backlash.
Timothy had himself recently faced criticism for comments made in Apri, in which he described Ramadan iftar celebrations in Trafalgar Square as an “act of domination” – remarks later defended by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch as a defence of “British values”.
Following the publication of the investigation Labour demanded Jackson’s immediate removal, branding the comments “vile, racist and utterly disqualifying”.
A Labour spokesperson said, “Telling British MPs to go back to Pakistan is naked racism. Anyone who speaks like this is unfit for public office.”
The Conservative Party later confirmed Jackson had been suspended pending an investigation, adding that his comments were “wholly unacceptable” and that support for his campaign had been withdrawn with immediate effect.
The incident has sparked concern in Harrow, where almost half of residents identify as British Asian, underscoring the contrast between the borough’s diversity and the views expressed by a candidate seeking to represent it.
Feature photo: William Jackson, Conservative candidate for North Harrow, has been suspended after an investigation uncovered racist posts targeting South Asian British MPs and other public figures. (Credit: Who Can I Vote For? /CC)
