Oldham East and Saddleworth election

I don’t usually point an accusatory finger at politicians. The reason is of course because I tend to believe it’s rude and somewhat disrespectful.

But when I came face to face with the now former MP Phil Woolas at a packed Labour Party fringe meeting, where we were both panellists, I felt a strong compulsion to do exactly that. And so when it was my turn to speak on the vexed issue about immigration I turned to him, arm and finger outstretched and said, ‘You do democracy a disservice when you pander to bigotry and raise racial tensions. I’m afraid Mr Woolas your election leaflet did that and perhaps worse’.

Of course he vehemently disagreed with me, arguing that when he canvassed door steps on the run up to the election, it was, he said, ‘the number one issue on peoples minds’.

On the last point he may have been correct. After all a daily diet of immigration bashing from some of the best selling newspapers in the county would leave many people believing that it has been our nations number one problem.

The real point however, was how politicians would respond to peoples fears about immigration. We witnessed live on TV the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s implosion when he not only failed to deal with Mrs Duffy’s concerns, but then went on to call her a bigot. Woolas went further and played on his constituents fears by first conflating immigration with Muslim extremism and spuriously associating both with his nearest rival the Lib Dem Candidate Elwyn Watkins.

In a historic move our courts in effect threw Woolas out of Parliament for making false statements and stirring up racial tension.

The challenge now for this constituency will be to move away from the Woolas era and build a consensus that unites communities.. But it won’t easy. The post election political terrain already has a number of dynamics that could work for some candidates and not for others. The Lib Dem candidate Elwyn Watkins who was beaten by just 100 votes and who caused the departure of Woolas by complaining against his tactics would have been a dead certainty but for the unprecedented anti-Lib- Dem feeling that is sweeping the country.

The Conservatives made the greatest improvement in the last election in Oldham but their popularity has recently dropped. Labour will feel they have most to gain particularly with popular local candidates such as Cllr Afzal Khan who has already declared his intention to stand. But the spectre of race hatred BNP leader Nick Griffin, who is contemplating standing in this by-election could once again move the debate back to the immigration bashing agenda.

In the weeks and months ahead there will be much to play for. If Griffin stands and his trounced again his political career will surely be over. Although both the Conservatives and Lib Dems political ratings are on the slide, they will be hoping that on a local level they are still a strong force. For the Labour party they will be hoping to show they are rebuilding their shattered election image.

But most of all decent people in the area and beyond will hope that the parties and their candidates will look to bring communities together so that can effectively face the difficult socio-economic challenges and live alongside each other with greater harmony.

Simon Woolley