Candidates defend absence allegations
By politics.co.uk staff
A political row is developing in Cumbria over accusations made in an independent candidates’ leaflet that Conservative county councillors “don’t turn up to meetings”.
The North-West Evening Mail reported Tory councillor Jack Richardson had threatened legal action over the slur which he described as “blatantly untrue”.
The agent of the six independents who issued the leaflet, Jim Jefferson, responded to the allegations saying it was clear from the context of the leaflet that it referred to cabinet meetings.
“It was obviously never intended to imply that Conservative councillors do not attend other meetings,” he said.
“It is a fact that the county council set up a ten-member cabinet and that the Conservatives do not take up their seats on this decision-making executive committee that voted to close our three schools and which also makes all other important decisions, including the budget.
“This is what was meant by ‘not turning up to meetings’.”
Yesterday, Cllr Richardson described the allegations as a “slur” on all Conservative councillors and told the Evening Mail the candidates should retract it.
“They are claiming all Conservative councillors don’t attend meetings,” he said.
“They don’t qualify it by making a statement to the effect that they are referring to only borough councillors or county councillors.
“They simply refer to Conservative councillors. This is a slur on all Conservative councillors in Barrow.”
The six independent candidates are all standing in the forthcoming Cumbria county council elections with one, Wayne Butler, running directly against Cllr Richardson in Risedale.
