Monday, May 01, 2006
Self destructive behaviour
Labour's mission to self-destruct a second time in Blaenau Gwent took another leap forward today with the news that one of their English call centres has been telephone canvassing voters there just days after the death of Peter Law.
This activity has upset even the most die-hard Labour supporters including a Mr. Llew Smith, the former local MP:
"Phoning people in Blaenau Gwent angling for their support before Peter Law's funeral is just appalling and shows they have no humanity or respect."
The former Labour Party constituency chair, Eileen Davies, is to hand in her membership card in disgust at what she claims is election campaigning before Peter Law's funeral this Thursday:
Eileen Davies, 69, whose husband Des is a Blaenau Gwent Labour councillor representing part of Ebbw Vale, said she had also been appalled by receiving CVs from between 20 and 30 individuals seeking the nomination for the parliamentary by-election.
"I have been a party member for 48 years, but the appalling lack of respect shown to Peter Law is too much. He was a true socialist, and doesn't deserve to be treated in this way.
"I had a phone call at home on Saturday from a man who announced he was calling on behalf of Blaenau Gwent Labour Party. He asked me who I had voted for last year, went on to seek my views on what the Labour Government could be doing for my area, and then tried to find out which party I most associated myself with now.
"I told him the Government had quite a lot to do in terms of bringing jobs to the area - the steelworks has closed down.
"But I was so disgusted to get this call before Peter's funeral that I put the phone down on him. I thought the Labour Party had said it wasn't going to campaign until after the funeral, but that obviously isn't the case.
"Peter Law was one of the best representatives of the people I have ever known, and he was treated in a disgusting way by the Labour Party.
"I am also very angry at the way they are making him out to be a liar by saying he was not offered a peerage in return for not standing at last year's general election. There is no way Peter would have lied about that.
"As a party member I have also been inundated with CVs from people who want to be the next Labour candidate in Blaenau Gwent.
"I've had between 20 and 30 of them through the post. Surely they could have shown a bit of respect by waiting until after Peter's funeral.
"I think it's very likely that people could vote for another independent."
Whilst, twenty four year old Angharad Davies, who lives in Cwmtillery, is also outraged. She had a call from a Labour canvasser on Thursday:
"I was pretty shocked to get the call," she said. "The caller had no idea how to pronounce my first name, so I think the call probably came from a call centre in England.
"Peter Law was very respected in Blaenau Gwent and showing this lack of respect is likely to rebound on Labour."
Labour have now suspended the survey but it is possible, when combined with their other crass behavour over the last few days, that the damage is already done.
This activity has upset even the most die-hard Labour supporters including a Mr. Llew Smith, the former local MP:
"Phoning people in Blaenau Gwent angling for their support before Peter Law's funeral is just appalling and shows they have no humanity or respect."
The former Labour Party constituency chair, Eileen Davies, is to hand in her membership card in disgust at what she claims is election campaigning before Peter Law's funeral this Thursday:
Eileen Davies, 69, whose husband Des is a Blaenau Gwent Labour councillor representing part of Ebbw Vale, said she had also been appalled by receiving CVs from between 20 and 30 individuals seeking the nomination for the parliamentary by-election.
"I have been a party member for 48 years, but the appalling lack of respect shown to Peter Law is too much. He was a true socialist, and doesn't deserve to be treated in this way.
"I had a phone call at home on Saturday from a man who announced he was calling on behalf of Blaenau Gwent Labour Party. He asked me who I had voted for last year, went on to seek my views on what the Labour Government could be doing for my area, and then tried to find out which party I most associated myself with now.
"I told him the Government had quite a lot to do in terms of bringing jobs to the area - the steelworks has closed down.
"But I was so disgusted to get this call before Peter's funeral that I put the phone down on him. I thought the Labour Party had said it wasn't going to campaign until after the funeral, but that obviously isn't the case.
"Peter Law was one of the best representatives of the people I have ever known, and he was treated in a disgusting way by the Labour Party.
"I am also very angry at the way they are making him out to be a liar by saying he was not offered a peerage in return for not standing at last year's general election. There is no way Peter would have lied about that.
"As a party member I have also been inundated with CVs from people who want to be the next Labour candidate in Blaenau Gwent.
"I've had between 20 and 30 of them through the post. Surely they could have shown a bit of respect by waiting until after Peter's funeral.
"I think it's very likely that people could vote for another independent."
Whilst, twenty four year old Angharad Davies, who lives in Cwmtillery, is also outraged. She had a call from a Labour canvasser on Thursday:
"I was pretty shocked to get the call," she said. "The caller had no idea how to pronounce my first name, so I think the call probably came from a call centre in England.
"Peter Law was very respected in Blaenau Gwent and showing this lack of respect is likely to rebound on Labour."
Labour have now suspended the survey but it is possible, when combined with their other crass behavour over the last few days, that the damage is already done.
