Watford candidates attack 'shameful' leaflets (From Watford Observer)
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Watford candidates attack 'shameful' leaflets
12:27pm Thursday 29th April 2010 in News
A furious political row erupted this week when two Islamic pressure groups distributed hundreds of leaflets to voters in the West Watford area.
The leaflets, which endorse Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Sal Brinton, have been angrily condemned by her main political rivals.
Produced by the Muslim Public Affairs Committee and British Muslim Initiative, the leaflets condemned Labour MP Claire Ward and Conservative Richard Harrington for their alleged weakness on Islamic issues.
Both candidates have accused their Liberal Democrat opponent of dirty tricks.
Ms Brinton, however, has denied authorising the leaflets and accused her rivals of desperation.
Ms Ward, who is criticised in the leaflets for her alleged questioning of women’s rights to wear the veil, her alleged vote against an Iraq War inquiry, and pro Israeli voting record, claimed the leaflets were delivered by known Liberal Democrat activists.
She said: “It is a desperate and a shameful way to behave. The claims are simply not true at all. They are just trying to scare people.”
Ms Ward has suggested that she favours the removal of facial coverings in one-to-one meetings but said this admission fell well short of the leaflet claims that she “questions women wearing the veil”.
Mr Harrington, meanwhile, said he was “disappointed” that his former chairmanship of the Conservative Friends of Israel had been raised as a negative issue.
He said: “Anybody who knows me will know my very moderate views on the Middle East. “I had hoped for a higher standard of morality in this campaign.”
He too claimed the leaflets were distributed by his Liberal Democrat rivals.
Ms Brinton, however, said she had “not authorised” either of the leaflets. If, she added, any Liberal Democrat activists had helped deliver them they had done so by their own initiative.
She added: “These groups are choosing to support different candidates from different parties all over the country. Pressure groups are free to support what candidates they like. If Claire Ward has an issue with these leaflets then she needs to take them up with the organisation that produced them.
“I think this really shows the desperation of the other parties.”
Comments(28)
reality-bites
says...
1:40pm Thu 29 Apr 10
Wearing a veil is not true Islam we know, but it's a good way of showing a womans inferiority and lack of freedom under religious pressure.
I'm not sure why the lib dems would support this though, i thought they would be against, what the experts call fundamental brainwashing.
The usual Lib plans for more immigration, softer on crime and less CCTV seem popular lately in Watford but these leaflets will give the other parties ammo!
SimonGarston
says...
2:56pm Thu 29 Apr 10
Wilkinson
says...
3:29pm Thu 29 Apr 10
But for a group of people who are only supposed to make up 2-3% of the population, why are we always talking about them? and why do they always have such a bearing on the news/political issues?
willy33
says...
4:09pm Thu 29 Apr 10
If it was leaflets sent to a small minority, why worry about it.
But as they say the truth hurts.
de Montfort
says...
6:31pm Thu 29 Apr 10
Dear Electors
I should like to remind you of the Liberal Democrats' support of the Afghan war. To quote their leader Clegg's words "As leader of the Liberal Democrats, I have been keen to maintain the cross-party consensus on Afghanistan that formed after September 11, and has not faltered since". He said this in July last year. Much more recently he stated his support for a continuation of the war for at least another twelve months, and no doubt he would be willing to barter his party's votes for extending the war for as long as the leaders of Labour and the Conservatives wish to continue to bow down to American foreign policy.
If you wish to show solidarity with your co-religionists in Afghanistan you should vote for the British National Party's candidate at the general election, since the BNP is the only party to pledge immediate withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan, other than the homosexuality-promot
ing Green party.
Although it is true that when the BNP forms its administration it will prevent the building of further mosques in Britain, surely 1,500 is sufficient. The burqa shall also be banned in public places, but this applies in many Muslim countries, and in any case most Muslim women do not wear the burqa.
Yours faithfully
Dr A Emerson
BNP parliamentary candidate for Watford
willy33
says...
6:45pm Thu 29 Apr 10
However, i wander if the BNP will also be banning the protective helmets that motorcyclists wear in far greater numbers than the tiny number of veiled Muslim women?
Its very odd that the likes of Claire Ward have been focusing on the issue of the Muslim veil which perhaps a handful of women in Watford wear when there are far greater challenges facing our society such as burglaries, loutish behaviour, graffiti, drugs and car theft.
alan burtenshaw
says...
8:07pm Thu 29 Apr 10
Thank you for making me aware of these leaflets. I'm sure you will let me know who from the Lib Dems authorised them and provide evidence to back your claims up but I fear that you can't. I think you will find that it's down to living in a democratic country, you know, freedom of speech, that sort of thing that this government is all in favour of. Of course you could ask about MP's expenses, why an MP who lives within the M25 needed to claim for a 2nd home in Westminster or a new mobile phone and digital camera costing hundred's of pounds. I guess that isn't the sort of thing that people need to know or be reminded of, is it !! I'll say it again, perhaps wilkinson might have the b...s to let me know who they really are, but I won't hold my breath,
Irish Boy
says...
8:59pm Thu 29 Apr 10
I suppose the beginning is the obvious place.....
When Dorothy marched triumphantly into power, it was somewhat questionable as to how the entire Asian community literally put up the orange signs on their gates and voted Lib Dem.
When the Lib Dems Won the council Majority, they had a celebratory pi$$-up in in the church hall, now known as the West Watford Multi-Racial Centre.
Ismail, Zeb, The lot of them were there and had supplied the food, the booze and most probably put the lekky in the meter in the hall for the night.
I raised the question of Gerrymandering of the Asian vote with a newly elected councillor. He dismissed the matter.
I warned that there might be favours asked for in return for a bloc vote.
Again dismissed.
That very same evening, as I was chatting with 3 Lib Dem councillors and indeed Dorothy herself, I was literally swept to one side by a 'Community Leader' who, LITERALLY, hit dotty between the eyes with his expectations.
The SAME 'Community Leader' who had been a Parliamentary Candidate For Watford against Claire Ward in the Previous general election..... for the Tories.
So.... No real suprise, really.... You reap what you sow, I expect...
Captcha: sure-wash
Irish Boy
says...
10:20pm Thu 29 Apr 10
de Montfort wrote:'Electorate', Chummy.
Open letter to the Muslim electors of Watford
Dear Electors
I should like to remind you of the Liberal Democrats' support of the Afghan war. To quote their leader Clegg's words "As leader of the Liberal Democrats, I have been keen to maintain the cross-party consensus on Afghanistan that formed after September 11, and has not faltered since". He said this in July last year. Much more recently he stated his support for a continuation of the war for at least another twelve months, and no doubt he would be willing to barter his party's votes for extending the war for as long as the leaders of Labour and the Conservatives wish to continue to bow down to American foreign policy.
If you wish to show solidarity with your co-religionists in Afghanistan you should vote for the British National Party's candidate at the general election, since the BNP is the only party to pledge immediate withdrawal of British troops from Afghanistan, other than the homosexuality-promot
ing Green party.
Although it is true that when the BNP forms its administration it will prevent the building of further mosques in Britain, surely 1,500 is sufficient. The burqa shall also be banned in public places, but this applies in many Muslim countries, and in any case most Muslim women do not wear the burqa.
Yours faithfully
Dr A Emerson
BNP parliamentary candidate for Watford
Veritas
says...
12:18am Fri 30 Apr 10
Dem tactic and targeting the more reserved community in West Watford, who may perhaps not access
The same media outlets as most of these readers, for that alone shame on you Brinton. Four times loser and so desperate.
We've heard about Wards allegedly dodgy claims, hundreds of times, why bring it up again! Nice to see that her indoors is finally standing down. I hope you have not been claiming for two phone lines and broadband for your house, as both of you were councillors in the same household "political incest at least," one set of allowances should have been enough, as only one of you could answer the phone on council business at a time, gosh and on the money you pulled from the council, did you even do a full day of work? No! Easy money
You and her indoors claimed over £2000 a month in allowances, more than most families monthly income, and you have the cheek to go on about Ward, but that is your dodgy style, lets hope the electorate see through all your Fib Dem spin and Waffle.
Now getting back to the disgraceful leaflet, which you claim has nothing to do with the Fibs, just got back from speaking to some West Watford residents, The decent Asians are disgusted at this leaflet, and if you visit the shed (come unofficial office) at the back of the closed Corner shop in Harwoods Rd, corner of Kensington Ave, and speak to a badly spoken Kashmiri, ask him about the Leaflets? How else would this Fib Dem activist
know which were the households to target?
Funny how the Fibs target the voters from this community, who are mainly from a rural background and
definitely not politically savvy, seems they can’t get or convince voters through the normal debating
of policies, a sad reflection on Brinton, very George Bush, We have “Mugabe” now “George” Brinton!
What next? BTW where is Molly?
KevMaskill
says...
6:23am Fri 30 Apr 10
She knows full well who delivered these leaflets and backs them, but did not technically authorise their delivery whatever this means to her.....
Playing with words as usual.
Molly Newman
says...
7:59am Fri 30 Apr 10
Watford_Chick
says...
8:40am Fri 30 Apr 10
Veritas
says...
10:27am Fri 30 Apr 10
other pseudonyms?
Missed your “Mayoral” slant on things.
BTW couldn’t care less who you are, just seems a bit pathetic if you are a WBC councillor that you hide, as for you last comment, wonder if the Mare has your password! It
has her condescending tone.
What no comment on this disgraceful "currymandering" of a small group.
It is well know that Dotty is allegedly big pals with that Harwoods rd Shop owner K.
Hope this finally gets people to vote for anyone but the Fibs, now we know that a group is voting not for the good of the town/country but to ""curry favour, it is more important we all vote to stop this sort of Third World politics, and the hidden agenda they have. I wonder what the community leader’s expectations were? Could one be a school?
Molly Newman
says...
12:50pm Fri 30 Apr 10
alan burtenshaw
says...
6:34pm Fri 30 Apr 10
KevMaskill
says...
6:37pm Fri 30 Apr 10
ors help themselves first...others may or may not benefit in the process.
KevMaskill
says...
6:37pm Fri 30 Apr 10
ors help themselves first...others may or may not benefit in the process.
LionessMaryam
says...
8:29pm Fri 30 Apr 10
Just because Brinton is being endorsed as a candidate it doesn't somehow mean she's responsible.
You are being held to account and you just simply cannot deal with it.
Veritas
says...
9:12pm Fri 30 Apr 10
Since you are on, go and ask that shady shop keeper, who asked him to deliver the leaflets, he is definitely not bright enough to organise it himself. Oh and if you knock on all the doors on Harwoods road/Kensington Ave corner, and on Whippendel Rd, what are the chances that all the houses there displaying the orange Fib Dem sign are from the same minority community?
How about this Bertie, you and me go and knock on all those doors and see if they are connected to the shop keeper?
It is a well known fact that certain sections of the community vote for Dotty, and as Irish Boy "observed" is for payback, this Currymandering just confirms it. Which brings me back to one of the Labour Clr from the Vicarage ward, who obviously is not part of this disgraceful group. So people can see two sides to the community in West Watford, one which is progressive and educated, so for the lovely “Mr BNP” there is more to the Asian community than the ones blindly voting for Brinton on an agenda, so lets not stereotype all minority people in West Watford.
Wilkinson
says...
10:18pm Fri 30 Apr 10
alan burtenshaw wrote:Would that be the freedom of speech that the Rickmansworth churches denied the British National Party recently, with their vain attempt at disrupting the political process?
Dear Wilko and simon, Thank you for making me aware of these leaflets. I'm sure you will let me know who from the Lib Dems authorised them and provide evidence to back your claims up but I fear that you can't. I think you will find that it's down to living in a democratic country, you know, freedom of speech, that sort of thing that this government is all in favour of. Of course you could ask about MP's expenses, why an MP who lives within the M25 needed to claim for a 2nd home in Westminster or a new mobile phone and digital camera costing hundred's of pounds. I guess that isn't the sort of thing that people need to know or be reminded of, is it !! I'll say it again, perhaps wilkinson might have the b...s to let me know who they really are, but I won't hold my breath,
Don't insult our intelligence, the fib dems have been pandering to the brown vote for years (as have the old 2) it's obvious that it is Lib Dem supporters who are behind the leaflets given their content.
I do agree with your comments on Criminal Ward though, so at least that is something we can agree on.
CallowlandChris
says...
9:37am Sat 1 May 10
SimonGarston wrote:How can someone 'condone' and 'distance themselves' from something?! That would require a level of duplicity that only the Conservatives could deem responsible (Health campus etc).
These leaflets are disgusting, Sal you should have condoned and distanced yourself from them. I will be now be voting for Richard.
I have a sneaking suspicion that you might have been voting Tory long before you read this...
alan burtenshaw
says...
8:54pm Sat 1 May 10
More than happy to knock on doors with you. If only you would give your name, address, telephone number, anything that might identify you or where you live, just so we can meet up, but I guess that isn't what you're about, is it. By the way I'm not claiming two allowances unlike some of our MP's. I'll say it again, although I doubt it will register with you, all councillors allowances are published every year and I've nothing to hide, again unlike MP's. What does open and transparent mean to you? I await your comments!!!
ps. Can you tell me who the 'not disgraceful' Labour councillor is? It's just that I'd like to know which labour councillor you think is disgraceful.
Cllr Andy Wylie
says...
1:59pm Sun 2 May 10
This lot are also "recommending" the Conservative candidate in Beaconsfield and the Labour candidate in Harrow West. 50% of the candidates they recommend are Labour, 30% Lib Dem, 10% Conservative and the rest are Greens, Ind & Respect.
They appear to have made their "recommendation" on the basis of candidates previous statements on everything from the Iraq War to the rights of Muslim women to wear what they want.
Personally I find these "interest groups, once they get involved in politics, can achieve precisely the opposite to what they intended.
It's nothing new - when I first started in Watford politics a Christian group was doing the same thing, based on views around co-habitation, abortion, age of consent, etc, etc.
I have no doubt people who are involved in party politics have been distributing such leaflets but these groups won't be told - they feel it is their duty to "inform".
But there may well be unintended consequences - this kind of involvement isn't always appreciated by the electorate at large.
Veritas
says...
11:28am Mon 3 May 10
"I have no doubt people who are involved in party politics have been distributing such leaflets but these groups won't be told - they feel it is their duty to "inform".
But there may well be unintended consequences - this kind of involvement isn't always appreciated by the electorate at large."
Only true words you have ever muttered.
Only because you have been found out, using this disgusting and immoral tactic. This is not the first time for the Fibs using the Watford minority community for votes. Look at some of the shady Fib councillors, no one in their right mind would have voted for people like Wylie et all. The Muppets putting out these leaflets are not bright enough to use their own initiative, especially when they are intimately connected with the Fibs.
Must be worried that it made the WO, Watford people are not impressed.
We still have not heard what they have been promised for their votes.
Akram
says...
11:42am Mon 3 May 10
It's a Muslim pressure group stupid! Claire Ward and the Tories need to get it through their head what they are dealing with.
Akram
says...
11:57am Mon 3 May 10
It's a Muslim pressure group stupid! As Andy Wylie has pointed out above, they are supporting candidates in both Tory and Labour parties in different parts of the country. Claire Ward and the Tories need to get a grip.
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Paul100 says...
1:11pm Thu 29 Apr 10