Quizzed Tories turn the air blue

Reporter: BEATRIZ AYALA
Date online: 29 April 2010

ELECTION 2010

A TORY candidate has refuted claims by a probation officer that her question was answered with a foul-mouthed response.

Dionne Robinson, of Denmark Street, Chadderton, said she asked Kamran Ghafoor, prospective parliamentary candidate for Oldham West & Royton, about the party’s policy on the probation service, while he was canvassing on Tuesday night.

The mother-of-one, who approached Mr Ghafoor with her query while he was in a car with four other people, said he did not have an answer, but would call his office and put his mobile phone on loudspeaker so the response could be heard.

She said: “I’m assuming the person who answered did not know they were on the loudspeaker because he told Mr Ghafoor to tell me that ‘they would lock everybody up execute them,” swearing in the process.

“It was absolutely disgusting, especially the language used.

“Everyone in the car just looked at me in stunned silence and Mr Ghafoor told the person on the phone ‘Thanks for doing that, the lady is stood next to me and heard everything you said’.

“Mr Ghafoor didn’t apologise, but looked very embarrassed, handed me a leaflet and told me he would call me later that evening but didn’t.

“I emailed the national Conservative party to tell them about the comments made, but have not heard back from anyone.”

Miss Robinson (27) has worked for the Rochdale district of the probation service for the past eight years.

She said she was appalled that members of the Conservative Party held such views about tackling crime and rehabilitating offenders.

She said: “The comment made could be that person’s own views not Mr Ghafoor’s, but Mr Ghafoor didn’t apologise or ring me to explain.It looks like he has thought ‘it’s only one vote, let’s ignore her’.”

However, Mrn Ghafoor has refuted her version of events.

He said he was heading to a pre-arranged meeting when Miss Robinson ran over to his car with her query, so he took her phone number and assured her he would respond as soon as possible.

He said: “I refute her version of events totally.

“I did not at any point put my phone on loudspeaker or contact my office.

“Our office is closed at 5pm every day.

“I really do not know how this misunderstanding has arisen but my campaign does seem to be upsetting my opposition.

“On Tuesday evening, my father was out delivering election material in Coppice when he was stopped and his bag containing my leaflets searched by the police.

“It really does make me wonder if these incidents are part of an organised smear campaign against me.”

Catch up with the candidates at www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk/news-features/elections/