Time for David Cameron to sack Matthew Offord MP for Hendon

Of all the dark days in Barnet Politics and all of the porkies and distortions, today we've seen something that caps the lot. Our local MP, Matthew Offord has used Parliamentary privilige to attack a political rival, in the most disgusting terms, in the knowledge that he can't be sued for liable. A clear abuse of the system.

Let's start with how it all kicked off.   Yesterday there was a story in the Hendon Times stating that the former Chairman of Hendon Conservatives had resigned from the party and would be standing for UKIP. His reasons? He felt the local MP, Matthew Offord wasn't serving his constituents properly and that UKIP reflected his own hardline Thatcherite views. This sort of thing happens all the time, although on a local level it is a good story. I've met Mr Leonard-Murray and he struck me as honest, straight talking and reasonable, even if I don't agree at all with his political opinions.

You can read the story here :-
http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8800651.MP_criticised_by_Tory_defector/

This morning, I noticed that a comment had been left on the story. The comment said this :-
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Carolynne, Hendon says...
11:15am Fri 21 Jan 11

I think there's more to this story
http://www.theyworkf oryou.com/whall/?id= 2011-01-20a.327.0&s= matthew+offord#g358. 2

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(Carolynne, Hendon is an ID that has exclusively posted highly complimentary posts about Matthew Offord and is clearly extremely close to Offord)

I immediately pasted the link into a browser and found that it was a contribution by Matthew Offord MP for a debate on anti-semitism. In it Offord says the following :-

A useful illustration comes today from my local paper, the Hendon Times, where I have been attacked by someone who helped us in the general election campaign. I was always rather concerned about some of the views of this individual, but we are a broad church in the Conservative party. However, this individual started making anti-Semitic comments. Once I was elected, I would have no truck with any such individuals. I hear today through the local press that he has decided to join UKIP. UKIP is welcome to someone who makes anti-Semitic remarks, because he is certainly not welcome in the Conservative party.

 Now realising that Offord had used parliamentary privilidge to attack a political rival and accuse him of anti-semitism, I immediately contacted the Times and suggested they remove the comment as it was unfair, which they did. I believed that it was not fair for Offord to exploit his position in this way and not let Murray-Leonard respond. It is a terrible slur.

I then re-read Offords comment. When I analysed it, I noticed that it was even worse than it originally appeared. I noticed that Offord had said

"However, this individual started making anti-Semitic comments. Once I was elected, I would have no truck with any such individuals."

In other words, if Murray-Leonard really had made such remarks, Offord was happy to let him work his socks off campaigning for him, but once he was elected and he didn't need him, he ditched him. What is even worse  is this comment :-

I was always rather concerned about some of the views of this individual, but we are a broad church in the Conservative party.

Now Mr Murray-Leonard wasn't just an ordinary member, he was THE CHAIRMAN of the Hendon Conservative Association. If you take Offords comments at face value, he was happy for this person to be a senior officer of the Hendon Conservatives. His justification is that they are a broad church. Broad enough to allow someone Offord says is a raving anti-semite to run the association?  I ask all Jewish voters in Hendon (and all non Jewish ones as well) to ask themselves this question. Would you vote for a man who lets someone they believe to be a raving anti semite run the local party? Not only that, but it is clear from Offords comments that the only reason Mr Murray Leonard left the association was because he was sick of Matthew Offord (ie he wasn't kicked out or asked to leave). If Murray Leonard wasn't welcome in the Tory Party, why wasn't he kicked out? He was clearly very welcome till he started criticising Offord.

Which brings me to the key question. Is Mr Murray-Leonard an anti semite. I thought there was a simple way to find out. I immediately rang a Conservative Councillor from the Hendon Constituency Area. I asked him this simple question :- "Hello, it's Roger Tichborne from the Barnet Eye here. Please can you comment on the allegations that Mr Adrian Murray-Leonard, former Chairman of the Hendon Conservative Association is a raving Anti Semite and this was well known by senior local Conservatives".  The answer was as unequivacable as it could be "You are talking complete rubbish, for your information Mr Murray Leonard has a Jewish grandmother. Whoever made this drivel up is pathetic". I then informed him that Matthew Offord MP had said it in Parliament yesterday. At this point the conversation ended. To spare the blushes of the Councillor I agreed not to name him. He promised to get back to me when he had checked the facts, I am still waiting.

The Hendon Times ran the story today about Offords attack, but sadly there is no comment from Mr Murray-Leonard. I have since spoken to other local Conservatives (all of whom wish to remain anonymous) who are deeply unhappy at this allegation. Making such vile allegations against an individual with no evidence and in parliament, invoking parliamentary protection is both repulsive and cowardly. David Cameron is the leader of the Tory Party. He came to Hendon to campaign for Offord during the election campaign. He presumably met Mr Murray-Leonard in the process. Parliament cannot be used by MP's such as Offord as a means to besmirch the reputation of his political rivals. That is a clear abuse of privilige. David Cameron must sack Offord for this.

I have this message for all local Conservative Councillors and activists. This isn't about politics, it's about common decency. Matthew Offord has treated a man who worked hard for the association in a terrible manner. Sadly mud sticks and Offord must be hoping that Mr Murray-Leonards reputation locally will be finished. If this is on the basis of porkies, then that is absolutely disgusting. Of all the things I've written about and seen in Barnet politics, I believe this is the worst of the lot. I'm sure Offord and his clan of supporters think it's hilarious. Do you?

********** Clarification *************

I have been informed by an official of the Hendon Conservative Association that Adrian Murray Leonard was not chairman of the Hendon Conservative Association, although he was a ward officer in the West Hendon Conservative Association.Many apologies.