Kemi Badenoch’s fans exchange homophobic WhatsApp messages – including one about Keir Starmer

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A group admin then told the group “let’s move on” before reminding members that the contents of the group could be “held up as representing Kemi’s supporters”

Homophobic messages were posted to Kemi Badenoch’s official supporters Whatsapp group – before a group admin advised members to “move on”.

One member – a Conservative Councillor – suggested the NHS shouldn’t pay for IVF for gay couples, because it is a “lifestyle treatment”.

The Tory activist, also chairs a Conservatives for Women group, said “We could save a lot of money if we stopped some of the lifestyle treatments. Why does the NHS pay for IVF for gay men for example?

“Why aren’t we insisting that people with lifestyle induced diabetes don’t first off go on diets? There are lots of ways people can take care of themselves without being medicated.”

Another member responded “it all comes down to “my right to have it” totally wrong in my opinion”.

Another series of messages from a separate date show members of the group discussing nicknames for the Prime Minister Keir Starmer. One member wrote: “I call him Dame Queer Charmer, but that will probably see me clapped in irons…”.

A group admin then told the group “let’s move on” before reminding members that the contents of the group could be “held up as representing Kemi’s supporters”.

A former Conservative MP who is part of the chat assured members Ms Badenoch “reads everything, including this”.

The WhatsApp group was created to bring together supporters of Kemi Badenoch ’s leadership campaign, which she later won.

After the Mirror first exposed racist messages sent by supporters in the group last week, it was converted to a “broadcast” group – which sends messages out, but does not allow members to post.

The Conservatives’ new Director of Strategy, Rachel Maclean, was an admin of the group. Ms Maclean was given a peerage in Kemi Badenoch’s first honours list on Friday.