Chorley Conservatives are calling on the Labour Party in Chorley to openly retract content of one of their Christmas cards delivered exclusively into homes in Euxton South Ward. They say that the Labour funded card is leading residents into thinking that a member of the “Local Labour Team” is also their Lancashire County Councillor when in fact it is Conservative Keith Iddon.
The hand-delivered cards from "Your Local Labour Team" features a picture and contact details for the Labour Borough Councillor, Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle, and Steve Holgate using the prefix County Cllr.
But Labour Councillor Holgate is the Lancashire County Councillor for neighbouring Chorley West Division, and currently Chorley Borough Councillor for Chorley South West in the town.
Chairman of Chorley Conservatives Peter Malpas said “We think that this is misleading the residents of Euxton South to believe that Mr Holgate was their County Councillor when he is not. Our test is simple; what conclusion would a fair-minded resident in Euxton South reach as they read County Cllr Steve Holgate inside the card? We assume the three from "Your Local Labour Team" each had sight of the content before printing?"
Chorley Borough Councillor for Euxton South Peter Goldsworthy agreed that this was grossly misleading and showed a total lack of respect to local elected County Councillor Keith Iddon. Cllr Goldsworthy added “We’ve heard that Mr Holgate has been deselected from his Borough Ward of Chorley South West. If so, it appears he’s hoping to stand for the Chorley Council Euxton South Ward next May."
County Councillor Keith Iddon said "I am disappointed that especially in this season of goodwill County Councillor Holgate had been promoting himself in the Division I represent in this way."
Chorley Labour Party needs to be straight with residents of Euxton South and offer an apology for the misunderstanding this has caused.
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UPDATE - NOT JUST IN CHORLEY, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IN THE RIBBLE VALLEY CONSTITUENCY
Another Labour County Councillor has used her style County Councillor on a Labour Party Christmas card delivered this Saturday to homes in the Farington Division whose elected County Councillor is Conservative Mike Otter. The card, addressed from "Your Labour action team in Lostock Hall" features "Sue Prynn, County Councillor", but she is the County Councillor for Penwortham South.
