Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is defying calls to sack a controversial advisor who has espoused incendiary views on sensitive subjects. The growing controversy centres on Andrew Sabisky, a newly-recruited advisor to Downing Street.
Sabisky, 27, was recruited as an aide following a call by Dominic Cummings – Johnson’s controversial chief strategist - for "misfits and weirdos" to apply for jobs in Downing Street.
It has come to light that Sabisky has espoused distasteful and incendiary views on the most sensitive subjects, including race, immigration, eugenics, mind-enhancing drugs for children, female genital mutilation and women's sport.
Racist views On the issue of race, Sabisky wrote in a
in 2014 that: “there are excellent reasons to think the very real racial differences in intelligence are significantly - even mostly - genetic in origin, though the degree is of course a very serious subject of scholarly debate”.He goes on to add that consideration of racial differences should influence British immigration policy.
In another
(also from 2014), Sabisky suggests that black Americans have a lower average IQ than White Americans.Genetic engineering On the incendiary issue of eugenics, Sabisky
in 2016 that: "eugenics are about selecting 'for' good things … Intelligence is largely inherited and it correlates with better outcomes: physical health, income, lower mental illness”.Sabisky has even disparaged women’s sport, by drawing a comparison between sportswomen and the Paralympics in a Twitter post in May 2019.
Unanimous condemnation In view of these distasteful views, opposition parties have been quick to call for Sabisky’s immediate sacking.
Labour party chairman, Ian Lavery, said: "It is disgusting that not only has Number 10 failed to condemn Andrew Sabisky's appalling comments, but also seems to have endorsed the idea that white people are more intelligent than black people”.
"Boris Johnson should have the backbone to make a statement in his own words on why he has made this appointment, whether he stands by it, and his own views on the subject of eugenics", Lavery added.
The leader of the Scottish National Party, Nicola Sturgeon, tweeted that the government has generated unacceptable headlines by employing Sabisky.
Even elements of the Tory party have condemned the government for not taking immediate action against Sabisky.These are really not acceptable headlines for any government to be generating (or allowing to be generated).
They need to get a grip fast and demonstrate some basic but fundamental values in the terms of our public debate.
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon)
Tory MP, and former immigration minister, Caroline Nokes, tweeted that she “cannot believe” Downing Street has “refused to comment” on Sabisky.
She also states that “there must be no place in government” for the views expressed by the advisor.
Downing Street’s apparent reluctance to sack Sabisky has been widely interpreted as indicative of the strengthening grip of far right ideology in some government circles.Cannot believe No 10 has refused to comment on Andrew Sabisky.
I don’t know him from a bar of soap, but don’t think we’d get on .......
must be no place in Government for the views he’s expressed
— Caroline Nokes (@carolinenokes)
Moreover, it is also demonstrative of the maverick Cumming’s outsized influence on the PM