Must not say bad things about Gypsies

A Tory MP has sparked outrage after he compared a group of travellers to the feared conqueror - Genghis Khan.

Gary Streeter, 55, labelled the group as intruders and accused them of causing major disruption after setting up camp at a park on Sunday.

The travellers were evicted from the site in Plymouth, Devon, yesterday lunchtime.

But Mr Streeter, who represents South West Devon, has now launched a tirade against their way of life.  He said: 'The key to tackling this perennial problem is to remove travellers like these from the "vulnerable ethnic minority" status.

'They are as vulnerable as Genghis Khan, most of them are as ethnic as I am, and all have permanent homes elsewhere in the UK.

Mr Streeter has aired his feelings about the travelling community on several previous occasions, but his latest comments have caused anger among senior Labour councillors.

Philippa Davey, shadow cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, said Mr Streeter’s views confirm research by Anglia Ruskin University, which found discrimination against gypsies and travellers is the 'last bastion of acceptable racism'.

She said: 'Of course the council should deal with unauthorised access to land, but comparing people to Genghis Khan and making sweeping judgements about very vulnerable groups of people is irresponsible.

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