Labour would-be MP caught removing rival's leaflet from letterbox

Candidate camera! Labour parliamentary wannabe under fire after being caught by a Ring doorbell removing a rival’s leaflet from a letterbox while campaigning during the local elections

A Labour parliamentary candidate is facing questions today after apparently being caught removing a rival’s leaflet from a letterbox by a doorbell camera.

Tom Hayes, who is standing in Bournemouth East for Sir Keir Starmer’s party, was spotted by a Ring system taking Green Party literature that had been delivered to a house in the area.

The video was circulated online by his Tory rivals, who initially though it was one of their leaflets being removed.

The footage shows the Cambridge graduate looking straight at the camera while wearing a red Labour rosette, before removing the Green leaflet and replacing it with one of his own.

Tom Hayes, who is standing in Bournemouth East for Sir Keir Starmer’s party, was spotted by a Ring system taking Green Party literature that had been delivered to a house in the area.

Phil Broadhead, the Tory leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, told the Bournemouth Echo : ‘While the Conservatives across BCP have been focusing on a positive campaign with a plan for the future, it is disappointing to see others resorting to tactics such as this, especially considering this person has been selected by the Labour Party as a parliamentary candidate.’

Phil Broadhead, the Tory leader of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council,  told the Bournemouth Echo: ‘While the Conservatives across BCP have been focusing on a positive campaign with a plan for the future, it is disappointing to see others resorting to tactics such as this, especially considering this person has been selected by the Labour Party as a parliamentary candidate.’ 

And Green leader Chris Rigby added: “This is really disappointing to find out that a party would stoop to doing that and actually remove election literature.

“It’s democratic for people to receive anything which has been put out by parties and to do so, we believe, is to break electoral laws. We are exploring that at the moment.

Mr Hayes is a city councillor in Oxford and attempted to become a candidate in his native Greater Manchester before being chosen to contest the Bournemouth East seat held by former Tory minister Tobias Elwood.

A BCP Council spokeswoman said: ‘We have been made aware of this incident and are taking the required action.’

Labour has been approached for comment.  

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