CONSERVATIVE hopefuls in Batley say that the controversy over an expletive in Labour campaign material is symptomatic of a wider problem.
An election leaflet blunder saw Labour’s Batley East incumbent, Mahmood Akhtar, deliver leaflets to residents which accused the Tories of “shi**ing on us to fund tax cuts for the wealthy and giant corporations.”
The sweary statement was posted through letterboxes at a number of homes in the run-up to local elections on May 3.
Coun Akhtar has been a Labour member for Batley East since 2004 but is rarely heard from in the media.
The swear word formed part of a panel on Coun Akhtar’s election leaflet and it is believed the ‘Tory Priorities’ graphic was sourced from Red Labour, a hard-left group of activists established in 2011.
His election agent is Batley West councillor Shabir Pandor – the deputy leader of Kirklees Council. Coun Pandor declined to reveal who was to blame for the error. “No offence was intended and luckily not many have gone out,” he said.
Local Tories say that the leaflet in its entirety shows how little Labour care about the electorate and local issues.
Batley East hopeful Keiron Gavaghan said: “I appreciate it’s a mistake, but it shows how little effort they’ve put into the campaign. It’s symptomatic of a wider problem.
“It shows they take the votes here for granted to prop up the regime in Huddersfield. They just assume they’ll get elected in Batley.
“What I find shocking is that most of the leaflet isn’t about Batley, it’s just about national issues which local councillors have no influence over. It’s irrelevant.
“Where are details on local roads and investment in local amenities, or how they’ll save Batley Library?”
Mr Gavaghan, who lives in Batley with his family, also said that if elected he would not claim any allowances to which councillors are entitled, and donate the cash to charities and groups in the town instead.
This week Coun Akhtar contacted The Press for the first time in several years with an emailed statement.
He said: “Not many of the leaflets have been delivered and the majority left will be destroyed.
“I apologise and I am sorry for the mistake, it was a genuine mistake and an oversight has occurred.
“Local party figures did not notice the wording and language when producing a graphic downloaded from the internet on the flyer.
“We have completely pulled the leaflet and we immediately ordered a corrected new batch after rectifying the wording.
“This is very embarrassing and mistakes do happen and I am sorry for what’s happened and agreed to pull the leaflet from distribution immediately.”
The full list of candidates in Batley for the Kirklees Council elections on May 3 is:
Batley East: Mahmood Akhtar (Labour)*, Jessica Berry (Green), Jon Bloom (Lib Dem), Keiron Gavaghan (Conservative).
Batley West: Marnie Cope (Green), Christopher Kane (Lib Dem), Garry Kitchin (Pirate Party UK), Gwen Lowe (Labour and Co-operative Party)*, Paul Young (Conservative).
*denotes incumbent councillor
