Tories import Eastern Europeans to deliver their leaflets
May 2, 2010 7:00 AM
Pendle Conservative candidate Andrew Stephenson is using a gang of leaflet
deliverers brought into the country from Serbia to deliver his leaflets during the
General Election campaign.
A group of six Serbs wearing distinctive blue Tory teeshirts are tramping the
streets of different parts of Pendle from Barnoldswick to Colne to Brierfield,
pushing Tory leaflets through letter boxes day in, day out.
They are here for around ten days, all expenses paid. They are being put up in a
hotel in Colne and taken out for meals by the Conservative candidate and his
agent, George Askew. Their travel expenses from Serbia have been paid for.
Tony Greaves, agent for Liberal Democrat candidate Afzal Anwar, said that in view
of the Conservative stress on keeping out immigrants in this campaign, people
might think that they are being a bit hypocritical in relying on Serbs to deliver their
leaflets.
He said: "The real question is how much is all this costing? They have shipped them
in, they are putting them up, and they are wining and dining them in local
restaurants.
"I shall scrutinise their return of election expenses very carefully to make sure that
these costs are all included - probably into the thousands of pounds. If they are
not there, Mr Stephenson and Mr Askew may find themselves in real trouble."
Tony Greaves also pointed out that the Tories have been paying people to deliver
their leaflets at £25 per 1000 leaflets.
He added: "It all shows that they have a lot more money than they have local
helpers."
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