Downing Street refuses to say it stands by Shaun Bailey after Sarah Everard comments

- No10 asked multiple times if the Prime Minister stands by Shaun Bailey - Allegra Stratton: ‘You have to go to Shaun’s team and have this conversation with him’- Asked if he regretted the Tweet, Mr Bailey replied: ‘Absolutely not.’
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Downing Street has distanced itself from Shaun Bailey today after he was accused of “politicising” the disappearance of Sarah Everard.

Boris Johnson’s official spokesman and his Press Secretary Allegra Stratton were asked multiple times if the Prime Minister stood by the Tory mayoral candidate following his controversial comments.

In a tweet on Wednesday, Mr Bailey vowed to “deliver for the safety of women and girls” if elected in May, and said “it breaks me to think that my wife and daughter have to live in fear” in the capital.

Mr Bailey’s post included a link to a news article about Ms Everard, who went missing a week ago as she walked from a friend’s house in Clapham to her home in Brixton.

The Conservative Party candidate has since been accused of using the tragedy to score political points.

When asked if it was acceptable for Mr Bailey to use Ms Everard’s case to make political capital, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told journalists: “I would just point to what the Prime Minister said this morning and what the Home Secretary has said this morning...”

Pressed on whether the PM stood by the comment from Mr Bailey, he replied: “That’s a matter for Shaun Bailey and his team. All I can say is what you’ve seen the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary say over the course of this morning.”

The spokesman was then asked explicitly if the Prime Minister stood by Mr Bailey. He said: “That’s not a question for me. You’re asking me about a tweet from a mayoral candidate - those questions are best directed towards him and his team.”

Asked how Mr Bailey was expected to know what the Prime Minister thought, Boris Johnson’s Press Secretary Ms Stratton intervened saying: “You’ve got to go to Shaun Bailey’s team. You’ve heard from the Prime Minister this morning expressing real shock and distress at what has happened.”

When it was suggested that Downing Street did not think Mr Bailey’s response was appropriate, Ms Stratton added: “You have to go to Shaun’s team and have this conversation with him.”

Asked if it was fair to say she was refusing to stand by Mr Bailey, Ms Stratton replied: “Today we believe is a day to give sympathy to the family of Sarah in an incredibly difficult and distressing time for them.”

However, a Government minister did stand by Mr Bailey earlier today when asked about the comments.

Minister for London Paul Scully said the Conservative candidate can “absolutely” still run for office.

He told Sky News: “Shaun Bailey has a plan for London in terms of giving the leadership on crime, on housing, on transport and air quality.

“The first thing people want to be is safe in their homes and Shaun has been doing a lot of work around [that].

“But we shouldn’t be distracted from the fact that there is a serious crime that’s gone on here.”

Asked on LBC if he regretted the Tweet, Mr Bailey replied: “Absolutely not.”

A serving Metropolitan Police officer is being held in connection with Ms Everard’s disappearance after being arrested on Tuesday. The force confirmed on Wednesday that he had been arrested on suspicion of kidnap and murder.

The force later said that detectives investigating Ms Everard’s disappearance had found “human remains” in an area of woodland in Ashford in Kent.

Mr Bailey’s comments were made after the officer was arrested, but before police confirmed that he was being held on suspicion of murder.

The officer, aged in his 40s, remains in custody.

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