03 May 2024 , 12:06
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The Tories only managed to cling on to a key council thanks to a candidate under investigation over alleged Islamophobic comments.
Harrow Council was a lone early glimmer of hope for Rishi Sunak amid a disastrous local election night. Local Tory MP Rob Halfon described the outcome, which saw the Tories’ majority on the council slashed from nine to one, as “the biggest comeback since Lazarus.”
But the Tories only have 17 councillors to Labour's 16 if counting James Leppard. Just two weeks ago, the party said it had suspended him over allegations he’d made Islamophobic comments on Facebook, saying of Muslims that “we really don’t need them here" and "they add nothing.”
The Conservative Party declined to say if he'd been unsuspended to give them victory. A Conservative spokesman said: “We are looking into these claims.”
A Labour source said: “Have the Conservatives quietly readmitted a man they recently suspended for racist remarks? If they have, they should urgently come clean with the public after saying they condemned this vile behaviour. After a complete collapse in 2021, Labour has made significant gains in Harlow and made real progress in the places we need to win the next general election.”
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Last month, a Tory spokesman said: “Harlow Conservatives condemn any form of racism. Mr Leppard was suspended as soon as the matter was brought to our attention and a formal investigation into the allegations has now been launched.”
But two days after his suspension, Your Harlow revealed the party was still distributing election leaflets with his name on them in the local area. And Mr Leppard was still listed as a Tory councillor on ballot papers, and remains a member of the Conservative group on the Harlow Council website.
Mr Leppard won the seat of Church Langley South and Potter Street, the final result to be announced, which gave the Tories 17 wards to Labour ’s 16, and giving them overall control of the council.
In an interview in the early hours of this morning, Harlow’s Tory council leader Dan Swords told local news website Your Harlow: “Nothing has changed. He’s been elected this evening. He’s on the ballot paper as a Conservative. The investigation is ongoing. I hope that will conclude soon, and as soon as it does we will consider its findings.”