Right to expect both accuracy and objectivity from candidates
Having received a leaflet from the Lib Dem candidate for Shrewsbury and Atcham, Hannah Fraser, I feel I must make some comment.
The main body of the leaflet was a straightforward statement of policy, no problem there. However, the postscript was, I felt, rather venomous and managed in four sentences to denigrate three of her political rivals with personal opinion rather than facts.
The first sentence stated: “Labour cannot win in Shrewsbury and Atcham.”
The facts are that Labour came second in 2015 but increased their share of the vote by 7.3 per cent. Laura Davies is a strong and extremely determined candidate and defeat for Labour is by no means a certainty.
The Lib Dems came fourth, trailing the Conservatives by over 20,000 votes and just 2,000 votes ahead of the Green Party. Since Ms Fraser suggests that: “Voting Green in the election will only help our unpopular Conservative MP,” this advice could equally well apply to voting Lib Dem.
My second point relates to her statement: “Labour under Mr Corbyn are in disarray.”
Currently (26 May 26), Labour are only five points behind the Conservatives with steadily growing support. So a second inaccurate statement from our Lib Dem candidate.
My final point concerns the word ‘unpopular’, applied to our, ‘Conservative MP’. I can only assume this is a personal opinion obviously not shared by over 24,000 people who voted for him in 2015.
I think the electorate have a right to expect accuracy and objectivity from anyone standing as a parliamentary candidate if they expect to get our vote.
Christine Jenkins, Shrewsbury
