Tories won’t say sorry for Jewish leaflet-drop

11:40am Thursday 27th April 2006

Labour candidates are demanding an apology after a Conservative Party election leaflet suggested that Labour candidates in Hale ward were pleased Ken Livingstone had offended London's Jewish community'.

The special edition' of Conservatives In Touch with Hale Ward' was delivered solely to Jewish homes. It attacks the Mayor of London for likening a Jewish Evening Standard reporter to a concentration camp guard; his comments to two Iraqi Jewish businessmen and his association with extreme Muslim clerics'.

The newsletter says: "Barnet's Labour party, far from condemning Livingstone, actually praise him. In a letter to Hale residents in February, Labour's Hale ward candidates tell us to give Ken credit where credit is due'."

But Labour's Hale candidate Adam Dustagheer said this week that not only has the borough's Labour party voted in favour of demanding an apology from the Mayor regarding both comments, but that the quote had been taken out of context.

The credit where credit is due' remark referred to the Mayor's success in securing a Safer Neighbourhood police team for the Hale ward.

"The Conservatives are implying we condone Ken's remarks, but the truth is Labour councillors voted at the last council meeting to demand an apology," said Mr Dustagheer. "This issue is too serious to be turned into an election ploy. The Tories have been caught red-handed trying to deceive the Jewish electorate."

Brian Gordon, Conservative Hale ward councillor, who was behind the leaflet, said that he was aware Labour councillors had voted to demand an apology from Livingstone, but refused to apologise for the newsletter's comments.

"In election time, it is incumbent on Labour to disassociate themselves from Livingstone," he said.