POLICE have questioned a senior Lib Dem under caution over allegations that he was at the centre of local election 'dirty tricks.'It's claimed that Lib Dem chief whip Councillor Steve Hurst was caught delivering a fake leaflet to voters in Belle Vale ward.
Hurst, a fireman, was caught in the act of posting a leaflet through letterboxes purporting to be from 'a real socialist party - TUSP', it is alleged.
When confronted by angry residents, there was a doorstep dust-up during which, it's claimed, Hurst assaulted a member of the public as he tried to escape.
It is also believed that one resident had used his mobile phone to photograph Hurst in the act of delivering the bogus leaflets.
In the fracas that followed, Hurst also dropped his filofax, containing his name and address details, before finally scarpering.
There may also be complaints that Hurst caused criminal damage to private property during the confrontation.
A string of official complaints about Hurst's actions have now been made to city council chief executive Colin 'Cover Up', Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe and the Chief Fire Officer, Tony McGurk who has already promised to dismiss any staff guilty of intimidation.
Hurst's nasty leaflet was a clumsy and crude attempt to try and blacken the name of local Labour councillor Pauline Walton, whose husband is also a fireman.
The Lib Dems were clearly panicking that they could not win the seat and decided to step into the gutter.
The leaflet broke election law by carrying no imprint giving the name and address of the organisation which had printed and published it. (What has Cover Up done about that, then? ed)
It was obviously hoped that using the disgusting leaflet to spread lies about Councillor Walton and her husband would damage Labour's vote in the ward.
In the event, the voters of Belle Vale had the good sense instead to elect Labour candidate Janet Kent to join Councillor Walton.
But now Councillor Hurst, who as Lib Dem chief whip is responsible for internal group discipline (you couldn't make this stuff up, could you? ed) faces some serious questions.
Police interviewed Hurst under caution earlier this week and are expected to send a file to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide if he should be prosecuted.
Cover Up and Mr McGurk could also take action.
But we doubt whether the Leader of the Council, Councillor Warren Bradley, who is also a fireman and a close friend of Councillor Hurst, will condemn these election dirty tricks and suspend him. (Although he should, ed)
