UK Labour party warns leader over ‘misleading’ leaflet

BRADFORD/LONDON: Labour  Party has warned independent  candidate Salma Yaqoob over  making false and misleading  claims on her campaign literature  exploiting the name of  Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.  The leafletswere distributed  across Bradford West by Salma  Yaqoob against Labour candidate  Naz Shah has the official  backing from Labour party and  its leader. Salma Yaqoob, who  until recently was part of  George Galloway’s Respect  Party, has come from Birmingham  to stand against Naz Shah  in Bradford.  Leaflets show that Salma  Yaqoob has included a photograph  of herself with Labour  leader Jeremy Corbyn on her  leaflets, under the caption “a  vote for Salma is a vote for  Corbyn”.  A spokesperson for the  Labour Party said: “There is  only one Labour Party candidate  in Bradford West and that  is Naz Shah. Naz has been an  outstanding member of parliament  for Bradford West since  trouncing George Galloway two  years ago and if re-elected will  continue to be a strong voice for  local people.  “She, and only she, has the  full support and endorsement of  Jeremy Corbyn as the best  choice for Bradford West. People  in Bradford West have a  choice on 8th June – re-elect  their strong LabourMPwhowill  stand for the many, not the few,  or elect a Torywhowould sit on  his handswhile his Party in government  slash funding to local  schools and further run down  our crisis-hit health service.”  A source at Salma Yaqoob’s  campaign office said that Salma  has known Jeremy Corbyn for  over a decade.  “They worked together in Stop  the War Coalition and worked  for the same cause. The leaflet  is about sharing the same values.”  In December 2015, the former  Respect councilor had an  application to join Labour rejected  by local party members  in Birmingham. Her application  was rejected on the grounds  that she stood for the Respect  Party against Labour MP Roger  Godsiff in the 2005 and 2010  general elections as well as battling  Labour candidates in local  elections.  In a video message, Jeremy  Corbyn endorsed Naz Shah  telling her: “Thank you very  much for what you have done  as an MP, what you are doing as  an MP and what you will do as  an MP with a Labour government.”