Tory Bullying - Walker The Liar

As I posted the other day, André Walker, former sidekick of Mark Clarke, who has been given a lifetime ban by the Conservative Party following the death of young activist Elliott Johnson and subsequent bullying revelations, appeared on the BBC Sunday Politics where he was permitted to trowel on his proclaimed victimhood and, at least by implication, dump the blame for Johnson’s death elsewhere.

André Walker and pals, including Mark Clarke

Part of Walker’s protestation was the idea that he wasn’t really a bully or henchman, and that if anyone had any evidence of his being one, then why had they not brought it forward? Moreover, he had not been allowed to attend Johnson’s funeral, and nor had he been told where his last resting place was. Thus the clear intention of convincing anyone watching that he and Johnson really had been in a relationship.

Elliott Johnson’s father Ray was not convinced by Walker’s claims regarding that relationship. And one Zelo Street source was so incensed by what was said that they went away and put together a short video compilation, which is linked from this post (those at the Guido Fawkes blog seeing their mark on the Walker interview should note, before complaining, that the copyright in that video lies with the BBC, not them).
As can be seen, Walker’s attempt to dismiss the suggestion that he was a “hatchet man” manages to omit the inconvenient fact that he was named in Elliott Johnson’s suicide note. “Who are these people I’ve bullied?” he protests, to which the answer is that many of them have already been in touch with the media. The recording made by Johnson of the confrontation with Clarke and Walker gives the lie to Walker’s bluster.

To this, I can add my own brief exposure to Walker’s less than principled behaviour: after Zelo Street busted him for having thousands of fake Twitter followers - hard on the heels of Sunny Hundal calling out Mark Clarke for the same thing - his first response was to threaten legal action, the kind of bullying tactic that has also been used, without success, by the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his former sidekick Harry Cole.

Sicking with him - yes, well

But the most egregious example of Walker’s smearing, bullying and thuggish behaviour was when he was caught plotting against deputy leader of Windsor and Maidenhead Council Alison Knight during a late-night train journey. Fellow passenger Robert Bobbin recorded the conversation. Walker accused Bobbin of being a “left-wing activist”, but the latter had voted Conservative at the previous General Election.

Walker also attempted to physically intimidate Bobbin after realising his plotting had been recorded. So we have yet more evidence of his being a “bruiser”. Robert Bobbin explained his motivation succinctly: “I recorded him because ordinary people sitting on trains must stand up for clean politics”. André Walker had to resign his post at Windsor and Maidenhead Council as a result. His behaviour and modus operandi are well-known.

Now he has been exposed as a liar as well. Potential interviewers take note.