Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving?

Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell’s protestations that he did not “write or approve” a leaflet delivered in his name in his Romford constituency look increasingly weak. He was out campaigning on the day the leaflet was delivered and has form on immigration.

The Observer yesterday outlined that:

“David Cameron’s Tories were accused last night of dog-whistle politics after the Conservative leader appeared on the front of flyers saying the floodgates had been opened to mass immigration. Critics say the flyers are alarmist and misleading because they imply limits could be imposed on entrants from EU countries such as Poland…

“Rosindell said last night: “I did not write or approve this councillors’ flyer. Immigration is an important issue but, as David Cameron has made clear, we must be careful with both the facts and the language we use. This flyer falls short on both counts, and I shall be pointing that out to the councillors.” However, the material stated that it was “promoted” by the MP.”

But these denials look increasingly thin as it emerged that the MP was out campaigning in the Mawneys ward in Havering on the day the leaflet was delivered. Local Labour party chair Dan Young – who lives in Mawneys ward – received a copy of the leaflet on February 13th. Rosindell’s facebook status was updated at 6.35pm that day:

Political Scrapbook have also revealed that Rosindell “has form on race politics”:

“In a blogpost noting the striking similarities between aspects of Rosindell’s website and far-right campaign materials, Scrapbook wrote last December: ”The MP for Romford has tabled a mere 102 questions on asylum and immigration and was a member of an organisation which advocated the voluntary repatriation of ethnic minorities until he was forced to resign by Iain Duncan Smith.””

Left Foot Forward has submitted the following questions to Mr Rosindell’s office but been told that he is not available for interview:

1. At what point did you become aware of the existence of the leaflet?

2. Had you seen the leaflet (or a draft version) before the distribution on February 13th?

3. Although you are quoted as saying you “did not write or approve this councillors’ flyer”, did you have any role in the distribution of the leaflet on Feb 13th?

4. Do you know why the leaflet was only distributed in one ward of the constituency?

UPDATE 17.09

On Labour List, James Maker writes:

“Two weeks ago I was appalled to receive the material through my own front door. My first reaction was “I’ve never seen BNP material in my ward before – they must be targeting new areas”. However, on closer inspection, it came to my attention that this was in fact the local Tories…

“is it a coincidence that on the very week that this leaflet was making its way into homes across the consistency, that during PMQs on February 10th 2010, Rosindell rose to ask the Prime Minister “will the government consider introducing a cap on immigration?”"

http://twitter.com/jessica_asato/status/9821022101 Jessica Asato

RT @leftfootfwd: Immigration leaflet row deepens: Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? http://cli.gs/9Umap
topsy_top20k_en

Immigration leaflet row deepens: Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? http://cli.gs/9Umap
http://twitter.com/mcgregormt/status/9821289055 Matthew McGregor

RT @leftfootfwd: Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? http://cli.gs/9Umap
http://twitter.com/nick_parrott/status/9821672702 Nick Parrott

Rosindell's involvement in extremist leaflets gets curiouser and curiouser: http://cli.gs/9Umap
Anon E Mouse

Will – Are you now using Twitter as a means of making it look as though more people are reading LFF than really are?
Will Straw

No, Anon. We’re using wordpress (our blogging platform) to capture a wider range of social commentary on our stories. If someone tweets our story, it is no different to a comment. If they retweet it, they are effectively endorsing / drawing attention to it so also worth logging.

Our readership numbers (over 30k uniques a month) are pretty good so we have no need to artificially boost our figures.

Liberal Conspiracy have been doing this for a while and we thought it worked well so wanted to emulate it.

Will
Anon E Mouse

Will – 30k unique’s a month is a good number dude.

Wasn’t criticising just wondered…
http://twitter.com/1cheerfulman/status/9823881963 Larry Gardiner

RT @leftfootfwd: Immigration leaflet row deepens: Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? http://cli.gs/9Umap
Mr. Sensible

This is simptomatic of the “new modern Conservative party”, I.E not much different from the old one.
http://www.ubervu.com/conversations/www.leftfootforward.org/2010/03/did-rosindell-deliver-the-leaflets-he-denies-approving/ uberVU – social comments

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jessica_Asato: RT @leftfootfwd: Immigration leaflet row deepens: Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? http://cli.gs/9Umap...
http://twitter.com/psbook/status/9824958895 Political Scrapbook

RT @leftfootfwd: Immigration leaflet row deepens: Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? http://cli.gs/9Umap
James Maker

please can you amend where you say Dan Young received the leaflet – you put march 13th, it should be feb 13th. Also, check out my piece on labourlist on the whole affair – http://www.labourlist.org/tory-leflet-cameron-rosindell-immigration
Henry

Are these Tory councillors to be disciplined or suspended?
James Maker

well, i wouldnt think so. but as i say in my labourlist blog, all this seriously calls into question Rosindell’s role in the shadow home office team. the evidence suggest that he knew about the leaflet, despite his claim yesterday.
http://www.libdemvoice.org/news-updates-taxdodging-germans-and-andrew-rosindell-18144.html News updates: tax-dodging Germans and Andrew Rosindell

[...] can read their evidence here. Share this story with your [...]
http://www.torystories.com/2010/02/is-cameron-offering-real-change/ Tory Stories » Blog Archive » Is Cameron offering real change?

[...] Left Foot Forward and Labour List question whether Rosindell was really unaware of the leaflet. [...]
Yorkshire Terrorist

One more question you might like to ask is if Osman Dervish, the councillor in question and paid member of Rosindell’s office, was on the clock when either putting together or distributing these leaflets; whether any parliamentary resources (including computers) were used in producing this leaflet, and; if Rosindell doesn’t approve of what Dervish has produced, will he be taking disciplinary action against him?
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/03/tory-hq-fails-to-clear-up-allegations-of-deals-between-essex-tories-and-bnp/ Tory HQ fails to clear up allegations of “deals” between Essex Tories and BNP | Left Foot Forward

[...] Left Foot Forward reported another set of allegations concerning Essex Tories and racism. Leaflets were distributed in Romford [...]
Peter White

It is interesting that Andrew Rosindell’s office says that Osman Dervish doesn’t work for him and is only a candidate, if so why has Osman got a Parliamentary email address and is in the Parliamentary Directory as a member of staff for Andrew Rosindell…
http://twitter.com/renarde/status/9888839982 Karen Hanna Kruzycka

This guy is my MP. I am so very proud, obviously. http://bit.ly/chXnra #rosindell #romford
http://twitter.com/ldkatz71/status/9892142927 Karen Chilvers

RT @renarde This guy is my MP. I am so very proud, obviously. http://bit.ly/chXnra #rosindell #romford
Yorkshire Terrorist

@ Peter White…..not only a Parliamentary email, but an internal phone number, meaning he has a desk. And he describes himself as a Political Officer for Andrew Rosindell on his Facebook page: http://bit.ly/cKjbYC which interestingly for his potential constituents reveals he is a member of the groups ‘Stop Women Voting Now’, ‘Southerners are scientifically superior to the rabble found North of London’, ‘Bring Back National Service.!!!’, ‘Augusto Pinochet Fan Club’, a couple of groups wanting to kill socialists, and perhaps most worryingly,’Gary Barlow… possibly the greatest musician to have ever lived group’.
http://www.basicguitarblog.com/acoustic-guitar-chords/how-to-learn-yourself-acoustic-guitar How to Learn Yourself Acoustic Guitar | Basic Guitar Blog

[...] Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? | Left Foot Forward [...]
http://www.markpack.org.uk/news-updates-tax-dodging-germans-and-andrew-rosindell/ News updates: tax-dodging Germans and Andrew Rosindell | Mark Pack

[...] You can read their evidence here. [...]
Jolly Green Giant

THe leaflet was also published in Havering Park. Where the co#promoter was the Conservative Council Leader Cllr Michael White.
http://www.libdemvoice.org/andrew-rosindell-romford-18793.html Andrew Rosindell runs into a spot of bother with his posters

[...] March, Left Foot Forward asked Did Rosindell deliver the leaflets he denies approving? – leaflets which included alarmist comments about [...]