Kmflett's Blog

When Anne Widdecombe was murdered there was criticism of her politics on social media, mostly from people broadly on the left. I did not participate. I was no fan but had nothing useful to add. However right-wing commentators complained that Widdecombe’s family and friends should be given time to grieve and criticism was inappropriate.

Moving on a few weeks and the tragic death of Professor Jason Arday saw a vigil of 30,000 people organised by Stand Up To Racism in Trafalgar Square.

Yet some right-wing critics of Arday are still digging. I’ve noted Sarah Ditum in the Times and Kathleen Stock in UnHerd. While they note that the original allegations against Arday came from the racist Nathan Kofnas, they dismissed this and then went on to repeat all the things they had said about Arday they had said when he was still alive.

So speaking ill of the dead seems to have become part of the culture wars. It should not have done