We hear that the Island’s prospective parliamentary Labour candidate, Mark Chiverton, has been told by the senior management at the Isle of Wight council that he should either resign his job, or stand down as a candidate.
He’s outraged.
Mark completed the 2005 election as the Labour candidate while continuing his job at County Hall and acting as Branch Secretary of the union, Unison, without any suggestion that there was a problem. Why should there now be a problem, he asks, given he does the canvassing in his personal time.
Mark’s Agent and Newport Councillor Geoff Lumley said, “It is clear to me that this is an attack by Mark’s employers on his civil liberties, which they know he will not relinquish easily.
He is now taking legal advice via his union and the Labour party.
Update: We’ve contacted the council to ask for their comment.Read Steve Beynon’s response
