This is the moment a Liberal Democrat canvasser is caught on camera telling a voter he would like to ‘kick’ the Labour candidate for the upcoming local elections. The activist was knocking doors in the Cheadle Hulme North ward - a bellwether seat which is again set to be a key battleground in Stockport.
The doorbell camera captures him talking to a resident in Cheadle as he tries to win them round to voting for Lib Dem candidate, Michael Hannon. To take the ward, Mr Hannon will have to oust Labour’s Councillor David Meller, who won the seat by just two votes in 2018, defeating the Lib Dems’ Claire Halliwell after three recounts.
Coun Meller is now cabinet member for economy and the driving force behind projects such as the controversial relocation of Central Library as well as being a firm advocate for walking and cycling schemes. But he is clearly not universally popular, as the Lib Dem canvasser made quite plain over the weekend.
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On the video he is heard telling the resident of his extreme dislike of the Labour candidate.
“If I could kick David Meller, I would,” he says. “I’m sorry, I just don’t like him, it’s not anybody else in Labour, it’s just him - and I have good reason for it actually.”
Coun Meller is demanding an apology, branding the incident ‘unacceptable’ and ‘nasty’. He has reported it to the Cheadle and Bramhall neighbourhood police inspector, who is now understood to be liaising with the council's elections office.
Stockport Lib Dem leader Coun Mark Hunter said his group did not condone threats or violence of any sort - but accused Labour of making a mountain out of a molehill for political gain. That claim was rejected by Coun Meller.
“Whenever aggression and nastiness comes into politics I always call it out. This is another example of me calling it out - it’s not on,” Coun Meller said.
“If he has canvassers going around saying this like that at the door, he needs to apologise.”
The Labour councillor said he was at a loss as to what he had done to offend the canvasser, who he does not recognise.
“I’m just trying to run a positive campaign. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t intend going negative against the Lib Dem candidate, who seems like a young lad - it’s all about my record.
“I can guarantee not one of my canvassers has said anything like that on the doorstep about any candidate of any political persuasion. I don’t think it’s acceptable, I really don’t.”
Coun Hunter, however, said Labour were ‘desperately’ trying to make something out of the incident with the local elections just around the corner.
“It goes without saying we don’t condone violence or threats in any shape or form, but it’s a storm in a teacup and he is trying to make something of it,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“It’s desperate stuff. It was clearly an inappropriate thing to say but it was a throwaway remark and I’m sure there was no malice in it.
“Giving an opponent a kicking is traditional political rhetoric. I think it was a mistake to say it in those circumstances, I regret he said it and I think he did afterwards.”
Polls in Stockport - and across the country - open on May 5, but people must be registered to vote by midnight on Thursday, April 14.
The candidates for Cheadle Hulme North are:
Brian DOUGAL - Conservative
Michael HANNON - Liberal Democrats
David MELLER - Labour
Michael PADFIELD - Green
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