Red-hot favourites

WINNER . . . Liberal Democrat Elwyn Watkins

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Woolas defeated, but now Watkins faces tough fight
LABOUR are red-hot favourites to retain Oldham East and Saddleworth — despite the High Court upholding the decision to strip Phil Woolas of the seat for deliberately lying in election leaflets.

The party is 1/5 with Ladbrokes to win the by-election which is expected to take place in the New Year.

The Lib-Dems are at 6/1, Tories at 8/1 and UKIP on 66/1.

January 13 is the date being touted for the poll on Liberal Democrat websites and the bookie predicted that the fight is “Labour’s to lose” with the Lib-Dem’s low standing in the opinion polls.

But the Chronicle understands that the constituency will be without an MP for another two months with Labour expected to delay a by-election until February 3.

By convention, the writ for a by-election is called by the party who last held the seat. It is thought that Labour will not do this immediately but opt for a February vote — which could increase voter turnout with warmer temperatures.

The British National Party’s odds have been slashed from 100/1 to 20/1 after leader Nick Griffin suggested that he may stand.

Mr Woolas is banned from standing for election for three years after three senior judges rejected his challenge against the decision of a specially-convened election court.

The court, the first of its kind in 99 years, found the former Immigration Minister guilty of lying about Lib-Dem rival Elwyn Watkins, who he beat by 103 votes in May’s General Election.

He had accused Mr Watkins of trying to “woo” the votes of Muslims who advocated violence, and refusing to condemn extremists who advocated violence against Mr Woolas.

But lawyers for his rival accused Mr Watkins of employing an election strategy which stirred up racial tensions and tried to “get white folk angry”.

The High Court agreed that the statements went beyond political comment and that Mr Woolas had rightly been found guilty of “illegal practice” for a “serious personal attack on a candidate”.

But they disagreed with the election court over the claim that Mr Watkins had reneged on his promise to live in the constituency. Instead, this was said to be a political statement — even though it implied Mr Woolas’s rival was untrustworthy.

Mr Watkins said: “This judgement makes it clear once again that if you knowingly lie in your election campaign and deceive your constituents you should be kicked out of Parliament. This is a victory for the people of Oldham and Saddleworth.

“The key comment is the one by Lord Justice Thomas who said in open court that I had done a great service to Parliament and the electorate.”

There is no avenue for Mr Woolas to mount a further challenge.

Mr Woolas said that he felt a “deep sense of injustice” and explained: “That is the end, I am out, which I think is unfair and, more importantly, my 70,000 voters will think it is unfair.

“It is obviously a very serious concern that my voters who have elected me four times have not been given the right to judge this matter for themselves as I am barred from standing for Parliament for three years.

“It is now unclear what is political and what is personal and that is not good for a strong democracy.”

Mr Woolas defended the comments he made and said that he was a “victim of the circumstance of this law”.

He told the Oldham Chronicle: “I do not regret it because I think it was clearly a political opinion. The judgement insults the intelligence of the Oldham public. They know what politics is and nobody but nobody believes the Liberal Democrats support violence, that’s preposterous.”

Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher added: “We must all respect the decision of the courts but I think it is tragic.

“Phil was an extremely hard working MP, hugely respected across Oldham.”

A spokesman for Commons Speaker John Bercow said he would study the judgement before deciding how to proceed.

A Labour spokesman added: “The Labour Party administratively suspended Phil Woolas after the original judgement of the election court.

“The Labour Party will consider this issue in detail and whether further action is appropriate.”

Labour leader Ed Miliband - who made Mr Woolas his spokesman on immigration after complaints were raised about his election campaign - told the BBC: “The court has made its judgment, that judgment has been accepted.”