Labour has been accused of trying to “trick” voters into backing a disgraced Newcastle election candidate suspended over Islamophobia allegations.
Joyce McCarty was suspended by her party at the end of March after alleging a “Muslim plot” was behind the ousting of city council leader Nick Forbes. Labour officials said in early April that Coun McCarty, who was the local authority’s deputy leader until last year, was no longer being endorsed in the Wingrove ward where she is seeking re-election on May 5, though she remains on the ballot for Labour because her nomination forms were lodged just a few days before the suspension.
However, it has now emerged that a prominent Labour campaign website continued to urge voters to support her. The iwillvote.org.uk site invites people to enter their postcode then informs them who their local Labour candidate is and where their nearest polling station is, telling supporters to “find out what elections are happening near you so you can help Labour win”.
