Labour rival in 'vile poison pen smear'

SIR Keir Starmer is under pressure to suspend a Labour candidate for waging a "vile" dirty tricks campaign on his Tory opponent.

- Sam Lister

Voters have been sent leaflets that appear to contain a letter from Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden containing scurrilous claims about his conduct.

The Labour Party has launched an investigation into the campaign material but is so far standing by candidate Alex Harrison in the Basildon and Billericay seat.

Mr Holden said: "This vile poison pen impersonation attack from the Basildon and Billericay Labour candidate is without doubt the most defamatory smear in an attempt to swing the result that I have ever seen.

"This is a desperate smear from Labour to try and swing Conservative voters to Reform, so that Labour can squeeze through the middle and get a supermajority.

"If Sir Keir Starmer does not support this evil attempt to undermine democracy he must immediately withdraw support for the Labour candidate and Labour campaign. If he does not, he is endorsing a Labour candidate running a nasty poison pen impersonation campaign that even Labour under Jeremy Corbyn, who Starmer tried to make Prime Minister twice, did not stoop to."