Woolas out in the cold
By Ian Dunt
Phil Woolas’ chances of returning to British political life dwindled even further this weekend, after Labour leader Harriet Harman all-but ruled out a return to Labour.
Appearing on the Andrew Marr programme this morning, the deputy Labour leader said Mr Woolas’ legal appeal would turn on the interpretation of the facts by the special election court- not the facts themselves, which were enough to rule out a return for Mr Woolas.
“He might win on a legal basis but it won’t change the facts that were found, which is that it was untrue and he said it,” she said.
Analysis: Woolas’ demise was hard, but not impossible, to spot
“We suspended him from the party and those issues would be part of a disciplinary process.
“I don’t think we can have a truck with telling lies to get elected.”
Asked whether it was sensible to give Mr Woolas a place on Labour’s front bench team last month given the ongoing court case against him, Mr Harman replied: “He was an existing member of the front bench team as immigration minister. The court hadn’t made its findings.
“He’s no longer an MP so there’s no question of him being made a front bench spokesman.”
Mr Woolas’s election win in Oldham East and Saddleworth was declared null and void on Friday after a special election concluded he had misrepresented facts relating to Liberal Democrat challenger Elwyn Watkins under section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.
Mr Watkins lost the seat by just 103 votes in the general election. But he alleged that Woolas published election literature containing misleading statements about Mr Watkins’ campaign financing and his approach to extremist voters.
Bookies still believed labour would win the race second time round.
Labour have odds of 2/5 to win with William Hill, with the Conservatives offered at 4/1 and the Lib Dems 9/2.
