Controversial ex-Boris Johnson adviser up for Scottish charity job

Rory Geoghegan, a former police officer who has worked for a number of right-wing think tanks, has been nominated for a place on the board of Disability Equality Scotland, which is funded by the Scottish Government.

But his views – including defending the attendees of a far-right rally organised by Tommy Robinson (below) – have sparked concern.

Geoghegan, who has worked for Iain Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice, Onward and Policy Exchange, has called for UK police to be armed and has argued that police should make greater use of stop and search powers, something critics say leads to ethnic minorities being unfairly targeted.

He also branded “open border” immigration policies “naive and reckless” in a post on Twitter/X. 

Earlier this year, Geoghegan entered a spat with the Metropolitan Police, a force in which he served between 2011 and 2016, after commissioner Mark Rowley described a rally organised by Robinson as “extreme right”.

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Speaking on GB News, Geoghegan said it was “deeply concerning that the most senior police officer in the land would tar the many thousands of ordinary Brits in attendance as being members of an ‘extreme right’ protest”.

Expanding on his criticism of Rowley in a tweet, Geoghegan (below) said is comments were “an appallingly ill-judged smear of ordinary Brits with a love of their country and concerns for the future”.

He has also weighed in on debates around so-called “two-tier” policing in England, which has seen forces accused of giving favourable treatment to left-wing protesters when compared with those on the right.

In a column for The Telegraph in August, Geoghegan wrote: “The instant and reflexive dismissal of concerns about ‘woke’ and ‘two-tier’ policing suggests asking most police chiefs to examine, never mind reject, the divisive identity politics in their forces is the equivalent of asking turkeys to vote for Christmas.”

In the same piece, he criticised “the most progressive and activist [police] officers” for being “quick to embrace” the Black Lives Matter movement sparked by the murder of George Floyd.

Geoghegan wrote: “The fact that George Floyd’s death happened many thousands of miles away, in a different country and with no involvement or contact from British policing was seemingly irrelevant.”

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A source at Disability Equality Scotland told The National Geoghegan’s views were “incompatible” with the organisation’s values.

They added: “He just doesn’t get it.”

Greens MSP Maggie Chapman (below) said she hoped that Geoghegan’s comments were “taken into consideration before any appointment is made”.

(Image: PA)

She added: “There is no place for these disgraceful comments in Scotland, but they are especially concerning when coming from someone who is set to represent an organisation such as Disability Equality Scotland. I hope that Mr Geoghegan retracts them in full.”

Chapman said it was “hard to think of many people who have done more damage to the lives of marginalised people than Suella Braverman and Boris Johnson”, adding: “I certainly wouldn’t want someone who shared their politics to be advising an equality organisation.”

Kayla-Megan Burns, convenor of Disability Equality Scotland’s board, said: “We would like to clarify that Rory Geoghegan has been allowed to stand for election to the board. However, his election will depend on the votes of our members rather than the opinion of the board, the CEO, or any other staff member, whether positive or negative.

“We have conducted a transparent recruitment process for the board elections, supported by Aspen People, which allows all eligible individuals to apply. Disability Equality Scotland is committed to representing all disabled people, and each of our board members is held to a code of conduct that supports this commitment.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Recruitment of board members is a matter for Disability Equality Scotland.

“It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on individual organisation’s appointment processes.”

Geoghegan was approached for comment.