Politician behind Carlisle MP web slur will not be disciplined
Last updated at 16:02, Thursday, 30 April 2009
A politician who admitted being behind a website attacking Carlisle’s MP after initially denying he was responsible will not face disciplinary action.
Liberal Democrat leaders nationally yesterday admitted Steven Tweedie’s actions were “completely unacceptable” but said no action would be taken against him.
And Trevor Allison, the party’s leader on Carlisle City Council, said he was glad his councillor colleague had accepted responsibility for the website byebyeeric.com.
Mr Tweedie, 34, has apologised to Labour’s Eric Martlew for the online attack on him and has also quit as his party’s candidate for Carlisle at the next General Election, citing “health reasons”.
He has, however, said he will continue in his role as city councillor for Dalston until his term of office ends.
Liberal Democrats are now due to launch a selection process for a new parliamentary candidate for the city.
Mr Tweedie set up the website, which featured a photograph of the MP with a highwayman’s mask superimposed on his face.
It urged voters to support any candidate but Mr Martlew to “usher in a new era of high-quality representation at Westminster”.
The politician at first denied he was responsible for the site – even when it emerged it was registered to his home at Wreay.
But, as revealed in yesterday’s News & Star, he has now admitted being behind it, saying it was “a mistake borne out of stupidity”.
A national spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: “This was completely unacceptable behaviour and it is clear Mr Tweedie now accepts this.
“As he has made a full apology, which has been accepted, we consider the matter closed.”
Mr Allison said the first he and his colleagues knew about the website was when they read it in the News & Star.
He added: “It is not something I would have done myself. I personally thought it was inappropriate, but not malicious.
“I am glad Steven has been big enough to eventually accept his responsibility and apologise unreservedly and that Eric has been magnanimous and accepted it.
“Steven’s role as a prospective parliamentary candidate was separate to his position as councillor and I am pleased he will continue to serve until his four-year term ends next year.”
Mr Tweedie, who also stood for Carlisle at the 2005 General Election, has spoken to Mr Martlew and written a letter of unreserved apology for his “negative tactics and ungentlemanly behaviour”.
His rival accepted the apology, but said this was the sort of incident that gave politics a bad name.
The Lib Dem has not ruled out standing for parliament again in the future.
First published at 11:20, Thursday, 30 April 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk
I agree with 'Tobias'. You can't trust any of them. Get him off our Dalston ward.
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Quite frankly anyone who can stir up this much debate in our city should be put forward by his party for election. Half the city do not even know who there Councillor is or was before this!! Ask yourself....what have our representatives done for us. My father did as instructed by governments, worked all his life, saved and invested in private pensions. He was severely let down by our NHS system and after a medical error was left to die in a residential home here in the city. His private pensions were taken to pay for his care and my mother is now left to survive, like may penisoners, on the breadline. Each time she gets an increase on his pension the council step in and take it off her, at over 80 years old she has to pay rent and council tax contributions because the small income she receives takes her over the amount the governement says she must live on. Where was our councillors then when we were asking for help and advice..........to busy looking for campaigns that get them noticed to be bothered. Your mistake Mr Tweedie was to 'hide' behind a website, you should have come out into the open with your comments perhaps then we would not all be so apathetic and some of us would have stood alongside you, whatever happens do not let your party make you hide under a cycle helmet, we need outspoken people to shake the many faceless councillors in this city.
Posted by Linda R-B on 10 May 2009 at 09:15