A Conservative candidate has hit back at criticism for using a picture of a Labour councillor on his General Election material.
Sir Michael Fabricant will be one of seven people hoping to win the vote on 4th July.
As part of the campaign, the Conservatives have sent out a leaflet to local residents.
However, Labour have criticised the material for featuring a picture of Cllr Ann Hughes, the former Labour Mayor of Lichfield and the current chair of Lichfield District Council.
The image was taken at a speaking competition organised by Sir Michael, but the inclusion of the photograph in the Conservative election leaflet was described as “disrespectful” by Labour.
But Sir Michael said his leaflet was clear about how the pictures were used with a statement confirming that they “do not imply that people shown endorse or oppose his re-election to Parliament”.
“When the late, great former Labour Minister Gwyneth Dunwoody MP came to Lichfield to chair the Michael Fabricant MP-Arthur Price of England Speaking Competition, her photograph was also used in my election literature.
“She didn’t care one jot as I made it plain then as I do now with a statement in my literature that the photos simply illustrate my former work as an MP.
“If a former Labour Government minister wearing her House of Commons insignia had no objection, I do think it a little precious of the former Mayor of Lichfield to get uppity about it all.
“Gwyneth had the right approach and had class.”
Sir Michael Fabricant
Cllr Hughes said the use of her image was “discourteous” and should not have been included:
“I took my role as Lichfield’s Mayor seriously. The chain of office is not a party political trophy and putting it – and me in my role as Mayor – on a party political leaflet undermines my personal integrity.
“It’s completely unworthy of Sir Michael.
“There’s a tiny sentence tucked away on Sir Michael’s leaflet that says the photos ‘do not imply that people shown with Michael either endorse or oppose his re-election to Parliament’ – this is completely inadequate, and discourteous to me personally and to other people who weren’t asked for permission.
“It is also disrespectful to the office of Mayor, and to the people of the city.”
Cllr Ann Hughes
Seven candidates will stand in the Lichfield constituency:
- Sir Michael Fabricant – Conservatives
- Richard Howard – Reform UK
- Pete Longman – Independent
- John Madden – Independent
- Heather McNeillis – Green Party
- Paul Ray – Liberal Democrats
- Dave Robertson – Labour
A bit of courtesy from Michael Fabricant, by asking Cllr Hughes if she objected beforehand would seem reasonable. I gather she has been genuinely upset by this and it’s just shrugged off as being uppity? Just rude and disrespectful – something we’ve gotten quite used to over the years in Lichfield from our MP.
I’m sure you think “uppity women” are the bane of your life Mike, but the uk and Lichfield have got much bigger issues going on that you have never addressed or represented us on. Cllr Hughes, on the other hand, treats her constituents with the utmost respect, listens and reaches out to help those that she can.
The useless Tories and Liebore are both not very good social democrat parties. Vote reform for real change!
Get him gone for goodness’ sakes!
Embarrassing, self serving man.
Considering the state of play locally and nationally and just the sheer incompetence of the Tory campaign, if Labour don’t win Lichfield in this election then they never will.
Such arrogance!
Surely it is common courtesy to notify people that their image is going to be used in a promotional leaflet, irrespective of the original use of the photograph.
What is even more worrying, is whether parental permission was obtained to reproduce the images of the children?
We have to assume that he will have given final approval of the leaflet, so this is another example of our MP’s ignorance – or is it arrogance?
I can’t wait to vote Conservative again on the 4th July. 4 more years!
Labour are a joke. Anyone who votes for them is voting for high tax and the closure of our local private school.
Hey Gurt are you a betting man. Perhaps you know something the rest of us do not?
Having class is something Fabricant knows precisely nothing about. The man is an embarrassment to our city, can’t wait for him to be defeated.
At least you will get the chance to vote. The short notice for the general election means that we are on a family holiday. My wife applied for a postal vote and had an email to say that her application had been successful. So, we expected a voting pack in the post. What we got, the day before departure, was a letter saying that, at her request, her postal vote had been cancelled! Except, she hadn’t cancelled it. Straight on the phone to the council, sorry, we don’t know what happened, I will investigate and call you back said the lady. That was two days ago. She has no chance of voting now. It’s all rather suspicious, or is it just incompetence?
@Jolly Roger – she can apply for a proxy vote online until 26th June. Perhaps a family member? http://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote . I’m doing it for an elderly chap who’s away for the election, it’s pretty straightforward to sort out if you have the proxy’s details (see link).
Gurt, better check your maths, parliamentary term is FIVE years. Did you have a private education, a state one might have been more fruitful!
@GURT – You are not only a stuck up snob, but also show that you no nothing when it comes to politics. It’s a 5 year term, not 4. That is the American system.
At the next election, all any future Labour candidate has to do, is put your comments on the fliers, and show what the snooty Tory voters really think. That they are above everyone else and have a divine right to power. What is wrong with you people?
And it says a lot about the Conservatives, that when Labour do get in, it is always a monster of a landslide. Just shows how bad you lot are at running the country, and how blind people must be to ever consider putting you back in power?