Oxfordshire Witney Conservatives deface Labour banner

Labour district councillor Duncan Enright, who represents Witney East, has written to MP Robert Courts to say he is "dismayed" by the actions of a group of students from the Oxford University Conservative Association.

This came after they stuck up a poster for Conservative local election candidate James Robertshaw over his sign in someone's garden.

Labour district councillor Ruth Smith said the three students had travelled to Witney to leaflet in Witney East and the town became the scene of a "joke" due to campaigners on Saturday.

READ MORE: Oxford: Botley Road criminal damage to welcome sign

She added: "They laughingly placed a leaflet over a Labour sign in a front garden as residents watched from their living room.

"Their behaviour went against all campaigning training I have ever had.

Defaced banner. (Image: Contribution.)

"Past Conservative councillors have since expressed shock to me.

"The student who left a leaflet on our sign walked on our grass and laughed the whole time. He didn't put anything in our letterbox. We were all in the front room.

"The one who did it kept laughing and said it was a joke because he was proud of his local candidate.

"Another was clearly embarrassed and wanted to smooth things over.

"I said there is a huge range of characters in politics and they should choose their role models carefully. We asked them to respect our neighbourhood. I told them how to leaflet properly."

In his letter to Mr Courts, Mr Enright said he was "dismayed" to hear about the "deliberate defacement" of the sign.

Duncan Enright. (Image: West Oxfordshire District Council.)

Conservative councillor Liam Walker and candidate James Robertshaw were both named by Mr Enright as having supervised the campaign.

Speaking after the incident, Mr Walker said: "I’m sorry to hear that a piece of paper was placed on a Labour election sign.

"The Labour Party are clearly in a complete panic about losing the election in Witney if they’re spending their time and energy going after a couple of students.

"I haven’t seen any evidence the students actually did this as I wasn’t with them but I will of course now remind them about respecting an individual's right to display election posters on their property and to respect gardens when out campaigning.

"I’m just glad that everyone is Ok.”

A spokesman for the OUCA said: “We were profoundly disappointed to hear of our members’ conduct during this campaigning expedition.

Liam Walker. (Image: Oxfordshire County Council.)

"We expect our members to conduct themselves appropriately and respectfully at all times.  The account we’ve heard is a direct breach of our rules, and in no way representative of OUCA’s values.  

"We do not approve of their conduct, we condemn it, and they will be investigated accordingly by our disciplinary committee.  

"On behalf of the Association, I apologise for the distress and disturbance caused to Ms Smith and Witney residents, and can only reassure them that we will take steps to prevent this happening again.”