Leaflet sparks outrage

12 March 2010

The leaflet distributed in Mawneys Ward

ROMFORD Conservatives are standing by a controversial immigration leaflet slammed as "misleading and dangerous" by a government minister.

The leaflets, distributed in the Mawneys Ward, declare Labour "opened the floodgates" to mass immigration.

The material adds: "We simply cannot go on like this" and features Romford MP and shadow home affairs spokesman Andrew Rosindell, Havering Council candidate Osman Dervish and Cllrs Melvin Wallace and Robby Misir with a poster saying Enough.

Immigration minister Phil Woolas said: "It is deeply irresponsible for the Shadow Home Office minister to be appearing on material using this sort of dog-whistle politics. Of course we need effective immigration policies, which is why we introduced the points-based system, but making misleading claims is dangerous and wrong."

Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman, said: "These flyers play to people's worst fears in an alarmist and inflammatory manner. The local Conservatives should be ashamed of themselves and I hope the national party will disassociate itself from this."

But Mr Rosindell said: "I don't think they're inflammatory words - it's how people feel.

"One bit that could have been better worded was where it mentions controls on nationals from new EU states. It doesn't make it clear it's only potential new EU nations - not those that have already been included. That would be illegal."

But Mr Dervish said: "There are no inaccuracies. It depends on how you read the sentence."

Mr Rosindell says he did not see the leaflets before they were distributed, despite them bearing the words "promoted by Andrew Rosindell MP". He insists it's a legal requirement for any material published by the local Tories.

Residents Association Cllr Andy Mann said: "If Mr Rosindell is telling the truth and he is not behind it, what sort of set-up has the Romford Conservative Party got when rogue councillors and activists just print a leaflet with his name on and distribute it around the borough?