Mentre in Italia si spende molto tempo a parlare di immunita’ parlamentari, Giunte per l’elezioni, e leggitimi impedimenti, nella monarchica Inglilterra chi sgarra si presenta davanti alla High Court, un parlamentare ed ex ministro dell’ immigrazione laborista e’ accusato di brogli elettorali, per aver pubblicato delle informazioni false nei confronti del suo rivale “It is the first time such a challenge has been made for 99 years. In Inglilterra il presunto Sen. Nicola Di Girolamo ( ve lo ricordate? Sarebbe finito in galera dopo un mese” Buona lettura ( gonnella)
Da Mail Online: Labour MP Phil Woolas to appear in court accused of breaking electoral law
Former Labour MP Phil Woolas is accused of making false statements about an opponent
A former Labour minister will face a legal challenge to his election seat following allegations he led a dirty tricks campaign.
Labour MP Phil Woolas will appear at the High Court today accused of breaking electoral law by publishing false statements about his opponent.
It is the first time such a challenge has been made for 99 years.
The former immigration minister faces allegations he told ‘devastating and far-reaching’ lies about his Liberal Democrat opponent rival Elwyn Watkins, the Liberal Democrat candidate, leading to an unfair result.
The pair fought a close battle in the Oldham East constituency during the election campaign, with Woolas finally claiming a narrow majority of just 103 votes.
Now lawyers from Cherie Booth’s chambers, Matrix, have been instructed by Watkins to challenge the outcome and demand a by-election.
Watkins says Woolas implied he was unscrupulous and a liar on campaign material circulated before the May Election.
The most damaging claim is Woolas played on racial tensions in his constituency and suggested in leaflets circulated that Watkins was ‘in league with extremist Muslims’.
Court documents filed by his lawyers say the material suggested he ‘wooed the support of Islamic extremists and was prepared to condone death threats to gain the support of such people.’
‘Some of these statements were in the form of innuendo and insinuation, but their meaning was clear. There was no factual basis for any of them,’ his legal team will argue.
The MP’s election agent Joseph Fitzpatrick allegedly sent an email during the campaign which said: ‘We need … to explain to the white community how the Asians will take him (Woolas) out … If we don’t get the white vote angry he’s gone.’
Woolas stands accused of breaching the Representation of the People Act 1983, which states it is an offence to ‘make or publish any false statement of fact’ about an opponent.
Woolas said: ‘We think this is sour grapes and we will defend our case robustly.’
If Woolas loses the case, which is scheduled to last five days, he would face being disqualified by the court from sitting in the House of Commons.
The MP was heavily criticised last year during the expenses scandal after allegations he claimed for nappies, tampons and women’s clothing, although he denied this.
