Clergyman denies backing candidate (From Swindon Advertiser)

Clergyman denies backing candidate

A COMPLAINT has been made that a former Swindon mayor was responsible for an election leaflet which claimed that the candidate had the support of a local clergyman.

No decision has yet been made by the Standards Board of England, the independent body responsible for upholding civic standards across the country, on whether Coun Stan Pajak (LibDem, Eastcott) has a case to answer about material in a leaflet distributed before last month's borough elections.

But last year's mayor, who acted as newly elected Liberal Democrat Michael Dickinson's election agent, believes the issue has been blown out of proportion.

In the Liberal Democrat publication, Focus, Coun Dickinson, who was elected as a Central ward councillor on May 1, used a picture of St Luke's Parish Priest Father Leslie Pinfield under the headline "I'm backing Michael".

The publicity material quoted the priest praising the work of Coun Dickinson in the fight to clean up prostitution in the area. Father Pinfield denies saying this. But because Coun Dickinson was only a candidate at the time when the material was distributed, his agent is being held responsible.

Les Horn, chairman of Broad Street Community Council, was so amazed at what he read that he wrote a letter to Father Pinfield.

Part of the priest's reply read: "We did indeed have a discussion about the problem of prostitution in the neighbourhood, as I have done with many other people of all political persuasions. I am afraid that the rest of it is made up."

And last week Mr Horn decided to write an official complaint to the London-based Standards Board.

He said: "I think to associate themselves with the local vicar is totally wrong.

"I don't mix religion and politics and I know Father Leslie doesn't preach politics from the pulpit or outside church.

"Coun Dickinson hasn't achieved anything in the area he's just rode on the backs of other people. If we're successful in our complaint then Stan must make the decision whether he or Michael goes it's one or the other."

Coun Dickinson, whose grandfather was a former Conservative councillor and Swindon mayor, works in the accounts department of New College and won Central Ward from the Labour group's deputy leader, David Cox, by just 16 votes one of the surprises of an election night during which Labour lost six seats.

But Coun Pajak said: "This is not something that worries me. I believe Father Leslie said what he did we met him on the corner of the street and he sanctioned Michael.

"This is nothing untoward it's just the interpretation and the fact we won the seat.

"As far as I'm concerned there is nothing to worry about because people are making a mountain out of a molehill."

A spokesman for the Standards Board for England said they could not confirm whether they had received a complaint.

He said the board could only comment once a decision had been made to pursue an investigation or throw it out.

Father Leslie was unavailable for comment, while Coun Dickinson declined to make any statement.