National focus follows arrest

3:55pm Sunday 20th July 2008

The arrest of Ian Oakley has focused national attention on Watford, a key marginal constituency.

Since the Watford Observer exclusively broke the story yesterday afternoon, most national newspapers have reported the Tory’s arrest and his resignation as the party’s parliamentary candidate.

The Times reported David Cameron faced embarrassment following Oakley’s arrest in connection with a hate crime campaign against rival politicians.

It was said Oakley won the right to fight the constituency, held by Claire Ward with a majority of just 1,148 votes, by winning an American-style open primary, a high-profile Cameron initiative.

The Times reported Oakley was a Durham University graduate who used to work for the Financial Services Authority.

Oakley’s Facebook listing was removed yesterday but not before it was noted he listed as friends the shadow cabinet members, Chris Grayling and Grant Shapps, MP for another Hertfordshire constituency, Welwyn Hatfield.

He also referred to “chick lit” author Louise Bagshawe, herself a Tory candidate.

The newspaper summarised the hate campaign against local Liberal Democrat politicians, particularly the abuse inflicted on Mark Watkin, the Nascot Ward councillor.

In April 2007 the Watford Observer reported police had launched an investigation after six poisonous pen letters had been distributed since August 2006.

These made unfounded and malicious allegations against Councillor Watkin.

The recipients of the letters were reported to be Liberal Democrat supporters in Nascot Wood, although delivery of the typed documents was not confined to the boundaries of leafy ward.

In a statement at the time, father-of-three Mr Watkin said: I am completely bemused as to why anyone would do such a horrible thing, but I am delighted the police are taking this very seriously.

Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “This is a hate campaign. Nobody wants a nutter in their ranks. This is a lone nutter who is not working on anybody’s authorisation.”

The Times also referred to the race-hate leaflet distributed to scores of homes in February this year and reported on the front page of the Watford Observer.

This leaflet purported to be from Liberal Democrats expressing support for the building of a new mosque and was a deliberate attempt to stir up racial hatred.

Meanwhile, the Daily Telegraph has reported other aspects of the hate campaign, including reports that several councillors had received late-night phone calls, sometimes silent, at others time threatening.

It stated cars belonging to councillors Derek Scudder and Jan Brown, the chairman of the council, had been vandalised, with windscreens broken and tyres slashed.

The Guardian reported Oakley’s rival parliamentary candidate, Liberal Democrat Sal Brinton, had also been caught up in the campaign of poison pen letters, anonymous late night phone calls and criminal damage.

It said Oakley’s resignation as the Tories’ parliamentary candidate was an embasrassing setback for David Cameron, who needed to take such high-profile Middle England seats as Watford if he wanted to win the next General Election.

The Guardian also reported Conservative headquarters were not aware of Oakley’s arrest until being informed by journalists and that Oakley had resigned after being contacted by senior party officials.

The Mirror described Oakley as a Tory “high-flyer” and quoted Sal Brinton as welcoming the fact an arrest had been made.

It also referred to Oakley’s Facebook site, which contained the pledge: “I’m trying to make Watford a cleaner, greener, safer place.”

The Mail described Oakley’s resignation as the latest embarrassment to face David Cameron after the resignation of deputy mayor of London Ray Lewis over allegations of financial impropriety.

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