Apology after activist in Horsham removes candidate's leaflet

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Storrington, West SussexImage source, Google
Image caption,

Three candidates are standing in the Storrington and Washington ward in Thursday's district council by-election

A Green Party candidate has apologised after a video appeared to show a volunteer removing a rival's leaflet.

Doorbell footage, verified by the BBC, appears to show a Green Party volunteer removing a Conservative election leaflet from a letterbox.

The footage was shot in Storrington, West Sussex - days before a district by-election.

Sussex Police said it was investigating to determine whether an offence had occurred.

The Conservative's election agent Gary Markwell told BBC Radio Sussex the behaviour was "completely anti-democratic".

"It's denying the residents of Storrington and Washington the ability to make up their own mind based on the information that all the candidates are putting out," he said.

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In a statement, Green candidate Joan Grech apologised to her rival and the people of Storrington for what she said was "unacceptable behaviour" on the part of an "overenthusiastic volunteer".

She said the volunteer had now "unreservedly apologised" and knows not to do this again.

Candidates

Three candidates are standing in Thursday's Horsham District Council by-election:

  • Joan Grech (Green Party)

  • Pascal Roberts (Liberal Democrats)

  • Daniel Hall (Conservatives)

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