Phil Woolas should pay for the by-election

Two High Court judges today ordered a re-run of this year’s General Election campaign in Oldham East and Saddleworth after ruling that Labour’s Phil Woolas knowingly made false statements about an opponent. Mr Justice Nigel Teare and Mr Justice Griffith Williams said Mr Woolas was guilty of illegal practices under election law.

Woolas was ordered to pay £5,000 to Mr Watkins, whose costs he will also have to pay, but what about our (the taxpayers) costs? The government must surely seek to recover the costs of this by-election from Mr Woolas on behalf of the taxpayer. It is his illegal behaviour that has caused this unnecessary cost to our already excessively indebted nation and I for one do not wish to pay for the consequences of his corrupt behaviour.

I would also argue that the Labour Party should pay towards this by-election as he was an official candidate and they took no action against him for campaigning illegally.

I have written to my constituency MP asking that he protects my interest in this matter and suggest you do the same.

Read more at The Red Rag