Enfield Conservatives say “convicted fraudster” has been campaigning for Labour in key North London seat
Councillor Nesimi Erbil, Enfield North candidate Joan Ryan and Enfield Conservative leader Terry Neville
By Michael Daventry
Enfield Conservatives have accused the Labour parliamentary candidate in a key North London seat of allowing a convicted fraudster to campaign for her.
Local party leader Terry Neville said Enfield councillor Nesimi Erbil was seen “canvassing” for Labour in Enfield North, even though he was suspended by his party three months ago.
Cllr Erbil was suspended by the Labour Party in January after Londra Gazete revealed he had received a jail sentence for faking documents for his black cab. He risks being expelled once a party investigation into his actions, which has been running for three months, is concluded.
In a letter sent on Tuesday to local newspapers, Mr Neville said Labour candidate Joan Ryan “seems perfectly content to have a convicted fraudster canvassing for her”.
He later told Londra that Conservative councillors had seen Erbil “definitely out there” with a Labour campaigning group around Bedford Crescent, in the extreme north of the constituency near Waltham Cross, but could not say if Ms Ryan was with the group.
“If you believe [Enfield Labour leader] Doug Taylor – and generally I do, he’s a decent man – this guy has been suspended by the national party. If he has been suspended by the national party, he shouldn’t be doing things for the national party,” he said.
A spokesman for Joan Ryan said the matter was being dealt with by Labour’s London region and refused to comment further.
A London Labour spokeswoman said: “Nesimi Erbil has been suspended from holding office in the Labour Party and does not hold office.
“The Labour Party has previously instructed Mr Erbil not to campaign on behalf of the Party.”
[otw_shortcode_info_box border_type=”bordered” border_style=”bordered” background_color_class=”otw-silver”]Terry Neville’s letter in full
Dear Sir,
Following Cllr Erbil’s suspension from the Labour Party in January 2015 after his conviction in 2014 for fraud came to light, I called for his resignation. Joan Ryan promised to remove Cllr Erbil as a Labour Party member. He’s still there, drawing his £10600 a year allowance from taxpayers!
Why has no action been taken? More to the point, Joan Ryan seems perfectly content to have a convicted fraudster canvassing for her – he was seen last week doing so in Bedford Crescent and Princes Avenue!
It’s another case of Joan Ryan promising one thing and then doing another?
Cllr. Terry Neville OBE JP
Leader of the Conservative Group[/otw_shortcode_info_box]
