Rape tweet Conservative Shaun Slator expelled from party

A councillor who said it was "more likely" a rape victim was a prostitute whose "punter... didn't pay" has been expelled from the Conservative Party.

Shaun Slator later apologised for his comments on a Twitter post about a news report of a rape inquiry in Plumstead, south-east London.

A Conservative Party spokesperson said Mr Slator was expelled following a complaints process.

Mr Slator told the BBC he was "disappointed" by the decision.

Shortly after the comments were made in December 2022, Labour group leader Simon Jeal described Mr Slator's remark as "revolting".

Mr Slator was suspended from Bromley's Conservative group in January, and Bromley Council voted to condemn his comments in a meeting in February.

Mr Slator, who currently sits as an independent councillor, publicly apologised for his comment at the start of Bromley Council's meeting on 27 February and said he deactivated his Twitter account.

He added he had also enrolled on a course about interacting online.

He said he was "not ashamed to admit that I am fallible, and I have made a mistake," adding he realised his privilege as a councillor comes with "a responsibility to reflect more deeply on what I say and post online."

Councillor Colin Smith, Conservative leader of the council, attributed Mr Slator's comments to: "The sort of thing that happens when people have brain freezes for a moment. It's beyond the pale."

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: "The Conservative Party has an established code of conduct and formal processes where complaints can be made in confidence. This process is rightly confidential.

"Following the conclusion of this process, Cllr Slator has been expelled."

Mr Slator told the BBC: "I am, naturally, disappointed by this decision and will be submitting an appeal in due course."

Bromley and Chislehurst Conservatives has been approached for a response.

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