Votes team in funeral upset (From Stroud News and Journal)

Votes team in funeral upset

DAVID Drew has written a personal apology to a Stroud family after Labour canvassers tried to solicit votes from a funeral party.

As Carol Hughes of Glynfield Rise, Ebley sat in a black limousine waiting to depart for her father's funeral, the sight of her black hat and mourning veil did not deter the two women from asking through the car door whether she would be voting Labour at the election.

Miss Hughes said: "I was in the funeral car outside my house because the car was early. We were sitting there waiting to depart - myself, my partner and my daughter.

"Two women came by and started to talk to us. My daughter leaned over and said, 'not now, please,' but they just carried on.

"I opened the car door and they said, 'just wanted to ask you if you're voting Labour this time.'

"I told them I would, just to get rid of them at which one of them replied 'oh good - have a nice day.'

"I don't think they even took it in. They just didn't seem to bother.

"It was quite unnecessary. They were more interested in whether I was going to vote Labour than that I was in a funeral car.

"I find it quite upsetting and insensitive and I couldn't believe they would bother anyone at that time.

"There's a time and a place for everything and that wasn't it."

Miss Hughes added: "I might well have voted Labour but if that is how they treat their voters I don't think so now."

After the SNJ contacted the Labour Party offices on Lansdown, Stroud, prospective parliamentary candidate David Drew passed on a letter for us to forward to Miss Hughes.

A spokesman for Labour said: "The Labour party obviously regret this most unfortunate of incidents.

"David has written personally to the family involved.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further at this most sensitive and delicate of times."