Labour's dirty tricks campaign starts again (Birmingham Liberal Democrats)

Birmingham Liberal Democrats <info@birminghamlibdems.org.uk>

Labour's dirty tricks campaign starts again

November 10, 2004 2:01 PM

Labour's MP Liam Byrne has launched an astonishing attack on the re-selection of Nicola Davies as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the General Election. His attack shows that he is obviously worried about losing his seat which he only just held, by 460 votes, in July against Nicola Davies in a supposedly safe seat where Labour had previously had a majority of over 11,500!

The bad-tempered debate which characterised the Hodge Hill by-election returned yesterday after the Liberal Democrats selected their unsuccessful candidate, Nicola Davies, to fight the seat again at the General Election.

Liam Byrne and Labour released a statement referring to "Nokia Davies" and attacked Nicola for not deciding immediately to re-stand.

Nicola Davies commenting on Mr. Byrne's attack said "Last night Ms Davies said: "I did need some time after the by-election to recharge my batteries - and to get married. Then I was in a position to make decisions. The campaign in July was hard fought and Labour made it as nasty as possible with a number of personal attacks on me, obviously I wanted some time to reflect and discuss re-standing with my husband Simon and members of the Hodge Hill campaign team. I am standing in Hodge Hill and standing to win so I can represent the constituency in Parliament. It looks like Labour will fight a personal and unpleasant campaign like before."

Today's Birmingham Post said of the by-election "Hodge Hill has traditionally been a safe Labour seat but Tony Blair's party only hung on to it by a whisker in the by-election. A majority of more than 11,500 at the last General Election was slashed to just 460 votes, following a massive 27 per cent swing to the Liberal Democrats. It followed a bitter campaign in which Labour organised demonstrations outside the Lib Dem headquarters, supposedly in protest at their phone mast policy."

Labour and Liam Byrne have still not apologised for their campaign which the Birmingham Trades Council described as racist.