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The leaflet that cost Phil Woolas his Oldham East seat. |
Former minister of immigration Phil Woolas was ejected from parliament over election slurs. The high court ruled that he knowingly made false statements about his Lib Dem opponent during the general election.
Woolas knowingly misled voters in Oldham East by trying to stir up religious tensions in the last days of the election. Woolas also lied about Watkins's intention to live in the constituency. The former minister of immigration was also suspended by the Labour party. The deputy leader Harriet Harman said it was "no part of Labour's politics to try to win elections by telling lies" and the party would not support any appeal.
I believe that the ejectment of former immigration minister Phil Woolas and the judgement of the court is correct. Trying to win elections by stirring up religious tensions is ridiculous. Of course, every political party is gossiping or slandering about their opponents but they should know their limits as representatives of a country. In my opinion Phil Woolas went too far by using religious slurs. He knowingly made false allegations about his opponent and I hope other politicians will memorize the judgment that the court made.
I believe that lies and negative campaigns such as Phil Woolas’s are bad for the politics and bad for the country. This whole article reminds me of the politics in the United States, where negative campaigns are completely normal. An election should result in the instatement of the best candidate who uses solid arguments, and not the candidate who has uses negative campaigns to gain popularity.
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