New Labour MP Lauren Edwards accused of racism over ‘f****** Estonians’ tweet

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In one, Ms Edwards wrote: “I want these f****** Estonian r****** out of my flat now!” open image in gallery Lauren Edwards has apologised after old Tweets resurfaced The posts date from more than a decade ago, between 2009-2011. She added that: “Since becoming a local councillor and more recently an MP, I have seen first hand the importance of bringing communities together and working with tolerance and respect for all in our society.” open image in gallery Former Tory MP Kelly Tolhurst called the comments ‘divisive and unpleasant’ Former SNP MP Martin Docherty-Hughes said: “As the former chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Estonia, I am deeply troubled by the racism and ableism vocalised by the Labour MP in question and would encourage them to reach out to the Estonian ambassador as well as disability groups to apologise and educate themselves on the benefits of a diverse society. On the issue of parliamentary cleaners, the new MP should walk a week in their shoes to see what it’s like to clean up after a political class, though I doubt they would last a day never mind a week.” Ms Edwards’ predecessor, the former Tory MP Kelly Tolhurst, said she was “shocked and concerned by the views held by” Ms Edwards. He questioned the scrutiny Ms Edwards had come under before she was selected, saying: “We missed these tweets on due diligence – I recall ‘r*****’ as a key search word.” He added: “On face value, it seems a bit racist.” Ms Edwards was elected last month with 15,403 votes.