In Gateshead, so far we've had one Reform candidate disappear (no explanation given) and one candidate booted out because he forgot to tell Reform he had previously been a member of the BNP. Now another candidate is in trouble. Linda McFarlane, standing in Chopwell and Rowlands Gill for Reform, has been exposed for her white supremacist views on social media.
Please note that you may find the following deeply offensive.
McFarlane has called for a "white Britain", Starmer and Lammy "should be shot", migrants "should be drowned" and only white people should be allowed to stand for Parliament. Hope Not Hate has referred McFarlane and the evidence to Reform's national party. They have promised a thorough investigation. Three days on and nothing. Well there's a surprise.
The good news is that McFarlane is likely to go down to defeat in Chopwell and Rowlands Gill. It would take a nuclear armed confrontation for Labour to be stripped of the ward. It is one of the strongest Labour areas in the universe. If Labour lose it, it's the end of the world for them.
1 comment:
I've been asked why candidates who have been expelled by their party or have resigned from the campaign continue to be on the ballot papers. The reason is electoral legislation requires a cut off date, which also happens to be the same time and date for close of nominations. If a candidate resigns or is sacked after nominations are closed, they cannot be removed from the ballot paper. They are on it whether they like it or not.
It means that they could potentially be elected. Winning candidates have to sign a declaration accepting the result and agreeing to bide by local government rules. If they don't sign, a vacancy is declared and a byelection is called.
If however they have signed the declaration, they are properly elected councillors even if they have been expelled from the party title under which they stood for election.
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