‘Yes to Fairer Votes’ campaigner sacked over anti-Islam tweet

A voting reform campaigner was sacked today after posting an “outrageous Islamophobic” joke on Twitter.

Ben Donnelly was dismissed from his volunteer post as a phone bank manager for the Yes To Fairer Votes campaign after his comments provoked a political storm.

The part-time music teacher could yet face disciplinary action from his employers at Kidbrooke School in Greenwich, who are looking into the matter.

The Yes to Fairer Votes campaign, which wants a switch from first-past-the-post to the alternative vote (AV), moved quickly to axe Mr Donnelly after details of his tweet were leaked to the Standard.

Posted yesterday afternoon, it read: “Says in the Holy Qu’ran Mohammad used to get his neighbours to vote by AV which of his 4 wives he’d shag each night.”

A Yes campaign spokesman said: “These comments were utterly disgraceful. Conduct like this will not be accepted by the campaign. We apologise for any offence taken and are as offended by these appalling comments as any other right-thinking person.”

Evening Standard, 2 February 2011