‘New’ Tories…?

A former Tory candidate conducted an astonishing two year harassment campaign against his Liberal Democrat opponents which included sending them pornography and writing poison pen letters suggesting a rival was a child abuser.

Ian Oakley, 31, also made silent phone calls, slashed car tyres at a Lib Dem headquarters and daubed graffiti on a rival's home calling him a "perv".

Oakley, who was the prospective parliamentary candidate for Watford, admitted five counts of criminal damage and two counts of harassment when he appeared before St Albans Magistrates' Court.

Absolutely astonishing, and the silence on this from the so-called leader of the party, David Cameron, speaks volumes…

He harassed Lib Dem rivals Sal Brinton and Russell Willson because of his "desire to change the political landscape in Watford," the court heard.

Obviously not for the better…

Oakley, 31, of Ryeland Close, West Drayton, north west London, bowed his head as his lawyer James O'Donnell asked for 68 other offences to be taken into account.

The judge adjourned sentencing for psychiatric reports, though it’s a wonder he didn’t call for them on those that selected him for the candidature, too.

Happily, there’s no attempt to brush this under the carpet (as Labour tried with Miranda Grell) from the ‘big beasts’ of the Tory blogging community, with a forthright denunciation by Iain Dale:

“Let's be clear. There is no defence. There is no explanation for what he did, and there is no excuse. The only thing one can say in his favour is that he pleaded guilty.”

And ConservativeHome haven’t yet editorialised on the affair, beyond announcing it and allowing comments, but aren’t inclined to ignore it either.

Which makes the silence from Cameron all the more damning. But then, the naked pursuit of political power over principle is no doubt a hard thing to criticise in others....