Originally Posted by UKIP
The national media are clearly keen to run stories about local politicians; so we have collated a number of interesting stories about sitting Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors, since the start of the year, which unaccountably don’t seem to have achieved the national blanket coverage they deserve. Some of these stories can be seen below but we have dozens of other stories too.
Meanwhile, UKIP thanks to the national media, all other political parties and various trade union- and government-funded lobby groups for the immense amount of work they have put in, to undertake the Stasi-style ‘scrutiny’ of the Facebook pages and Twitter feeds of UKIP’s 2,200 local election candidates – a substantial task which must be costing someone a bundle – and assures them that every offensive remark reported to us will be considered seriously by our National Executive Committee’s disciplinary committee.
Conservatives
Jack FM Oxfordshire, January 10 2014: Wantage Councillor Who Stole £150k From Pensioner To Be Sentenced
A Wantage councillor - who's facing jail having been found guilty of stealing 150 thousand pounds from a pensioner with Alzheimers - is due to be sentenced later. John Morgan from Highclere Gardens was convicted of stealing the money from now deceased 92-year-old Beryl Gittens between 2004 and 2012. The 74-year-old had been a Conservative councillor for more than 25 years.
Daily Mail, February 4 2014: Am watching Machete - now THAT’S how you deal with immigration’: Councillor allowed to keep job despite outrageous Twitter comments about immigrants as he watched violent film
A Conservative Party councillor who said a film featuring gun-toting border vigilantes offered a good way of dealing with immigrants has been allowed to keep his post, after issuing an apology. Danny Mayzes, 25, of Clacton, Essex, was watching Machete, in which vigilantes patrol an electric security fence on the Mexican border, when he took to Twitter, saying: 'Am watching Machete - now that's how you DEAL with immigration.' He added: '#turn_on_your_ tv_Theresa' in what is believed to have been a reference to Home Secretary, Theresa May.
On the Wight, February 7 2014: Ex-Cllr David Whittaker: Sentenced for child sex crimes
On Friday 31st January, at the re-trial at the Isle of Wight Crown Court in Newport, former-Isle of Wight councillor David Whittaker was found guilty of two charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, sexual activity with a child, and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of children. He was also found guilty of sexual assault on a child and causing a child under the age of 16 to watch a sexual act. He has denied all the charges. Three years ago, the former Conservative councillor was found guilty of engaging in sexual activity in a public toilet.
Searchlight Magazine, March 1 2014: Conservatives select former BNP activist for safe seat
A Conservative candidate for a South Kesteven District Council by-election was a former British National Party activist. Dr Peter Moseley was selected to fight the single-member Aveland ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Debbie Wren in January because of work commitments. Wren had been elected in 2011 with a large majority. The announcement by Grantham and Stamford Conservatives said: “Peter is a dedicated, local and hardworking individual who has all the qualities to really deliver for local people on South Kesteven District Council. Peter already has experience within Local Government working on Rippingale Parish Council and is a member of the Rippingale Business Club. I know that supporting Peter is the only way local residents will get the District Councillor they need.” But Moseley has a dark past. His name appeared on the BNP membership list leaked in November 2008, with the same address and mobile phone number as currently. The list described him as an activist and a “company director (remote environmental monitoring/web integration”. It added that he had an engineering degree and that his hobbies were “jive dancing, DIY”. It is unclear why those were of interest to the fascist party.
Labour
Haringey Independent, 31 January 2014: Labour Party to review suspension of Cllr Nilgun Canver following conviction for lying to police
Haringey’s Labour group will review the suspension of a senior councillor after she was convicted of lying to police. Cllr Pat Egan, the party’s chief whip, made the statement after Cllr Nilgun Canver was found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice. She falsely claimed she had been driving the family's BMW after her son Burak crashed into a lamppost in Seven Sisters Road, on January 24, 2013, while uninsured. Haringey Borough Council’s former cabinet member for the environment was given a one-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £15 surcharge.
GetWestLondon, April 25 2014: Revealed: Labour candidate for Harrow Council is convicted fraudster
The Labour Party in Harrow is preparing for crisis talks after it emerged that one of its candidates was convicted of defrauding the council he is seeking to be elected to. Labour were "unaware" that a candidate put forward by them for election is a self-confessed council tax cheat. The revelation that one of their candidates in the upcoming election was forced to wear an electronic tag by a judge after pleading guilty to defrauding Harrow Council in 2007 has left the party's leader preparing for crisis talks with those responsible for selecting him. Yogalingam Dayanamby will be announced as a candidate in the Canons ward later today by Labour, and has already been featured in their manifesto, however what the party did not know was that he has previously been found to have falsely claimed £811.93 from Harrow Council. Over three years, the political hopeful falsely claimed council tax benefit after failing to declare he owned a second property, and was sentenced to a three-month curfew restricting the hours he is allowed out of his home in 2007.
Liberal Democrats
Your Local Guardian, 11 March 2014: Worcester Park Councillor Stephen Fenwick convicted for racially aggravated assault in train station pub
A Sutton councillor has pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault. Worcester Park Liberal Democrat Councillor Stephen Fenwick admitted a single count in front of Westminster magistrates yesterday and was handed a year-long conditional discharge and a fine. He has voluntarily resigned the Liberal Democrat whip meaning he is no longer a member of the Liberal Democrat group on Sutton Council and is now an independent councillor. Council leader Councillor Ruth Dombey has condemned Coun Fenwick’s actions. The charge relates to an incident at the Bonapartes pub in Charing Cross station in central London on January 4. He was involved in an altercation with a barman and called him a migrant and told him to go back to his own country. Coun Fenwick had been out watching football and to a friend's house and had been drinking heavily when he arrived at the bar. The sentence means Coun Fenwick will not face punishment unless he commits a further crime in the next 12 months. He was also ordered to pay costs and fines totalling £200.
BBC News Derbyshire, 27 March 2014: Derby councillor Ajit Atwal 'will not resign' over AK-47 Twitter picture
A councillor and magistrate has refused to resign for posing with an AK-47 rifle and posting a picture on Twitter. Derby Liberal Democrat Ajit Atwal has apologised for the photograph, which was taken on holiday in India, but said he had "done nothing wrong".
Leader of Derby City Council, Paul Bayliss, called on Mr Atwal to "reconsider" his positions after a national newspaper published the photo. Mr Atwal said he had been naive, but had not committed a crime. He said a politician friend in India allowed him to pose with a bodyguard's assault rifle while he was visiting the country in September.
