As media scrutiny on UKIP’s candidates, members and donors intensifies, the party has released a list of councillors and candidates from other parties who have found themselves in various scandals yet have been ignored by the mainstream media.
The list includes a Conservative who stole £150,000 from a pensioner with Alzheimers, a former Conservative councillor found guilty of child sex crimes, a Labour candidate who is a convicted fraudster, and a Liberal Democrat councillor convicted of ‘racially aggravated assault’.
The councillors and candidates named by the party are:
John Morgan, Conservative councillor on Vale of White Horse District Council: Convicted of stealing £150,000 from Beryl Gittens, who had alzheimers, between 2004 and 2012.
Danny Mayzes, Conservative councillor on Tendring District Council: Tweeted that the film Machete, which figures violent vigilantes patrolling the US/Mexico border, showed how to deal with immigration.
David Whittaker, former Conservative councillor on Isle of Wight Council: “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 while in the presence of a child.”
Dr Peter Moseley, Conservative candidate for South Kesteven District Council: Formerly an activist in the hard right British National Party, selected to contest a safe Conservative seat.
Nilgun Canver, Labour councillor on Haringey Borough Council: A former cabinet member on Haringey Borough Council who was convicted of lying to the police over a car crash involving her son.
Yogalingam Dayanamby, Labour candidate for Harrow Borough Council: Convicted of defrauding the council to which he is seeking election.
Stephen Fenwick, former Liberal Democrat (now independent) councillor on Sutton Borough Council: Convicted of “racially aggravated assault” in a railway station pub. Has resigned the Lib Dem whip and now sits as an independent.
Ajit Atwal, Liberal Democrat councillor on Derby City Council: Refused to resign after posting a picture on Twitter posing with an AK-47 rifle.
Media scrutiny on UKIP has intensified this week following numerous allegations relating to the behaviour of various candidates and party activists.
In a statement accompanying the list, the party says:
“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.”