Labour Councillor Disgraced

9.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 16th Dec 2007

Labour councillor Miranda Grell is to be removed from Waltham Forest Council after being found guilty of making false representations against a Liberal Democrat candidate during the 2006 elections.

As you may have seen in the local and national media, Miranda Grell was found guilty of making disgraceful homophobic and paedophile slurs against former Liberal Democrat Councillor Barry Smith when talking to Leyton residents on their doorsteps. Barry lost by 28 votes in the 2006 elections after previously serving as a local councillor from 2002-2006.

After her conviction in September, Labour Councillor Grell had her appeal thrown out at the end of November, with judges describing the evidence that Grell used to try to get out of the conviction as "contrived and not honest". She will now be removed from Waltham Forest Council and a by-election will be held in Leyton.

Although your local Liberal Democrat team welcome the verdict it cannot undo the damage done to their friend and colleague Barry Smith who was verbally abused, spat at, followed home and threatened. Eventually he found it necessary to leave our area.

The despicable accusations that were made by Grell have dragged local politics through the mud and caused residents to question the integrity of local councillors and the value of their vote. Leyton residents deserve better than this.

Your local Leyton Ward Liberal Democrats, Cllr Bob Sullivan, Cllr Naheed Qureshi and Winnie Smith have been continuing to work hard within our community, helping residents and representing your views in council.