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Sponger-jibe Tory forced to say sorry
A TORY candidate in Leeds has been forced to apologise after he said he was sick of paying tax to support "imported spongers".
Glenn Broadbent, the Conservative candidate for the forthcoming council by-election in the Farnley and Wortley ward, also ranted against "lazy people" and subsidising the "Scots and Welsh".
Labour seized on his remarks – posted on the popular social networking site Facebook – saying they proved the Tories were the "same old nasty party".
Proud
Mr Broadbent, 48, declared in the "about me" section of his Facebook profile that he is: "Proud to be English and sick of paying tax to support lazy people, imported spongers and subsidising the Scots and Welsh".
He today insisted he had not fully thought through his comments before posting them on the internet.
He said: "I am sorry for any offence that has been caused – there was certainly no intention to do so.
"As ever on sites like Facebook, it is easy to write comments without fully thinking them through and that is what I have done in this case.
"I am committed to standing up for the rights of everyone in my community and that is why I am standing in the by-election in Farnley and Wortley."
A Conservative spokesman added: "Glenn Broadbent has admitted that his comments were misguided and open to misinterpretation and he has apologised for that."
But his comments were condemned by Labour.
Coun Judith Blake, deputy leader of Leeds Labour group said: "Yet again we see the mask slip on David Cameron's Conservatives.
"Despite all his warm words and salesmanship, it's clear that they are the Tories are basically the same old nasty party that hasn't changed at all.I proud of the fact that Leeds is a city of different communities and cultures, that is welcoming to people regardless of where they are born or their background.
Question
"The fact that the Conservatives in Leeds have selected someone with these views must really call into question the way that they choose their candidates."
And John Battle, Labour MP for Leeds West said: "Just this week the Tory candidate was out campaigning with Tory shadow minister Robert Goodwill MP.
"I hope that Mr Goodwill and the rest of the Tory party will swiftly disassociate themselves from inflammatory comments like these."
The by-election on September 18 follows the resignation Luke Russell, who held the seat for the Green Party.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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