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06
Jun
Greens say they wouldn't have reported local Lib Dems to police if they'd apologised
The Harrogate and District Green Party has said it would not have reported the local Liberal Democrats to the police if they had apologised for falsely claiming the Greens weren’t standing in a recent by-election.
North Yorkshire Police said last night it had arrested two men from the Harrogate area on Tuesday, June 4 “in connection with an ongoing local election-related investigation”.
It added they had been questioned and released under investigation while enquiries continued.
A Lib Dem leaflet distributed in March in the run-up to the in the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election wrongly claimed the ‘the Green’s (sic) have stood down this election’.
The Liberal Democrats went on to win the by-election, which was caused by the resignation of the party’s former councillor Pat Marsh.
The Green Party, which reported the matter to the police, said in a statement today:
If an apology and offer of restitution had been received then this situation would have been avoided, but neither have been forthcoming.
The subsequent action we took was on the advice of the elections team at North Yorkshire Council. We believe that elections should be conducted with honesty and integrity to encourage lively democracy.
Andrew Jones, who is biding to win his fifth consecutive election for the Conservatives in Harrogate and Knaresborough, described it as a “serious matter” and said it meant three local Lib Dems had been arrested in the last three months. Ms Marsh was arrested prior to her resignation after publishing anti-semitic comments on social media.
Mr Jones, who has previously raised concerns with Lib Dem leader Ed Davey about the behaviour of Lib Dems in Harrogate and Knaresborough, added:
It is now for the police to continue their investigations, I hope the arrested Lib Dems are co-operating.
We asked the Lib Dems if they wished to respond to any of the comments raised by the Greens or Conservatives.
A spokesperson reiterated its previous statement, which said:
This relates to a printing mistake during a local council by-election early this year, which we explained at the time.
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