Cover-up upsets Gough
Last updated at 14:20, Tuesday, 27 April 2010
CONSERVATIVE candidate for Barrow and Furness, John Gough, has hit out after one of his campaign billboards was covered over with a rival’s poster.
Mr Gough’s election campaign poster was placed on the side of Park Road in Barrow on April 6.
On Thursday, Mr Gough noticed his poster had two campaign posters for election rival John Woodcock plastered on the front of it.
Mr Gough informed the police, but said he would not be taking further action this time.
He said: “The poster has been up since April 6 and on Thursday we noticed some new posters had appeared on the front of it. It is the latest in quite a long line of poster vandalism we’ve had. I’m quite relaxed about this normally, but this is a bit blatant and I think it is going a bit too far.
“I’m prepared to accept a certain amount of banter between the political parties, but this is going beyond a joke.
“This is essentially defacing a political poster and trying to stop the other side getting their view across.
“I’m not saying that Mr Woodcock did this personally, the fact is, his name and his agent’s name are on the bottom of this and they need to take responsibility for the people that they give posters out to as we do with our posters.
“I’m sure they will agree that this shouldn’t be happening and they’ll have a word with their people who are putting these posters up. We have a right to speak and a right to display our posters, and we should respect that for both sides otherwise we live in a very sad country.
“The police have been informed and I’ve asked them at this stage just to have a word with the agent. But if it happens one more time then the law will be used, we’ll go back to the police and ask them to investigate it properly.
“I’ve been campaigning up and down the country for 20 years since I’ve been involved with politics and I’ve never seen this kind of behaviour.”
Labour candidate John Woodcock said: “This not acceptable practice and I am sorry to hear it has happened and of the distress it has caused Mr Gough. My election agent has been in touch with the Conservatives and made clear we disassociate ourselves completely from it. We have been overwhelmed with requests for posters from supporters. I urge as many people as possible to put them up with pride to keep Furness Labour, but it is important to do so responsibly.
“Not only is papering over Conservative posters completely wrong, it would be futile even if it were acceptable.”
Barry Rabone, Liberal Democrat candidate for Barrow and Furness, said: “We have had stake-boards removed.
“We shall do our best to replace them, but they are not the main part of our message.
“Meeting people, listening to them and explaining our policies is far more important in the election campaign.”
First published at 14:08, Monday, 26 April 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
I'd say he got off lightly given what's been happening to many other Tory posters (see: http://www.moneymad.org/David_Cameron_defaced_posters.htm ).
View all 6 comments on this article
Have your say
To Katie T; most of the defaced posters are sad and predictable, but the 'suspicious minds' one made me laugh out loud; thanks.
Posted by Neil on 28 April 2010 at 08:33