Tory candidate way ahead in local Pinocchio awards

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 17th Apr 2005

Michael Howard's parliamentary candidate in Carshalton and Wallington is tipped to win this year's General Election Pinocchio award after taking a decisive lead after just a week's campaigning.

The Pinocchio award will be presented to the parliamentary candidate who is the most 'economical with the truth' in their party literature.

A local resident from Carshalton said, 'So far, Michael Howard's candidate wins hands down when it comes to misrepresenting the other parties' policies'.

A good example of his activities include:

A letter sent to a resident in Beddington claiming 'Mr Brake has done nothing over the years on the (Beddington) postcode issue'.

Fact: Tom Brake has been extremely active regarding this issue. He has raised the matter with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Royal Mail as long ago as February 1999. He has also raised the matter with the Association of British Insurers and POSTCOMM. For more information on this issue please contact Tom Brake at his constituency office.

More details of Michael Howard's candidate's blunders will be released in the next few days.

ENDS