Police investigate candidate's election leaflet

A council election candidate's leaflet is being investigated by police after a complaint about language used in it.

David Roy Cox, who is standing as an independent in Burford and Carterton West in Oxfordshire County Council's election on 1 May, referred to "mentally-ill LBTQ [sic] fanatics and their pride flags".

Oxfordshire County Council said the language used was not a matter for it and the Electoral Commission said it does not regulate candidates' conduct.

A Thames Valley Police (TVP) spokesperson said officers are assessing if Mr Cox's leaflet constitutes a hate crime and their investigation is ongoing.

Resident Nikita Haddington-Milner, who lives in Burford, said she was "shocked" to find the leaflet delivered to her home, which has a pride flag hanging outside it.

"I feel violated that they have knowingly put this through the door. It speaks volumes," she said.

"Everyone is entitled to their own religious beliefs, but this is the deliberate stirring of hatred."

She reported Mr Cox's leaflet to police on Sunday.

Mr Cox told the BBC he "stood by everything" in it and said while it was "unfortunate" Ms Haddington-Milner was offended by its content, that is "not my problem" but hers.

The leaflet also calls for "no more migrants" and says the "right to speak freely is under severe and continued attack".

Prof Ian McLean, a senior research fellow in politics at Nuffield College, Oxford, said concerns raised by Ms Haddington-Milner were "powerful" but they should not prevent Mr Cox from standing as a candidate.

"I don't think it would serve anybody's interests if candidates were pulled before the election," he said.

"I think it's really up to the electors to read all the leaflets and decide who to vote for."

Also standing in Burford and Carterton West are: Anthony Barrett (Green), Sarah Evans (Reform UK), Nick Field-Johnson (Conservative), Kathy Godwin (Lib Dem) and Dave Wesson (Labour).

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