Tory’s no-show at key hustings

PERSONAL commitment . . . Kamran Ghafoor

ELECTION 2010

A Conservative Parliamentary candidate for the May 6 election has missed two key local election hustings meetings.

Kamran Ghafoor, who is fighting for the Oldham West and Royton seat, failed to attend a Friends of the Earth event at the Unitarian Church in King Street on April 10.

And on Sunday he missed a husting at Christ Church in Chadderton, chaired by the former Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir Ali. Mr Ghafoor, who is a former Labour member of Oldham council, originally said he would attend, but told the vicar, the Rev John Simmons, in the middle of the week, that he could not go.

He promised to send his words instead, but the email arrived after Mr Simmons went to church to welcome people to the meeting. Mr Simmons added: “Because he could not come I contacted the other candidates for Respect and Ukip.

Respect’s candidate Shahid Miah was able to attend at short notice, but the Ukip candidate, Helen Roberts, had a previous commitment.”

He added: “It was a really good meeting, well supported with loads of questions. The candidates were all very good and very polite.”

Mr Ghafoor said: “I regret, due to a personal family commitment I could not make it to the recent Christ Church meeting, but I did send my sincere apologies. I always enjoy meeting new people and it would have been a great opportunity to highlight the differences between parties and strengthen the Conservative message.

“I do find it difficult to understand why my opponents are constantly attacking me personally when they should be concentrating on my politics. This is not what electioneering should be about.”

He added: “I am not aware of an invitation to the Friends of the Earth meeting, I didn’t know about that.”

Labour’s Michael Meacher and the Liberal Democrat Mark Alcock were at both meetings.

All three Labour, Tory and Conservative candidates have said they will be at a third hustings tomorrow, at Radclyffe School, where they will be quizzed by the pupils.

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