Rather than do a reccy of the Sky studios yesterday morning, Ed Miliband was in Rotherhithe in South London for a campaign event with a local Labour councillor. The meeting was held in a community hall on deprived Silverlock council estate. Yet, to the surprise of the residents of the estate, they claim they were not invited. Despite it being held in the middle of the residential area, they say it was an invite-only event for local Labour supporters and the actual people who live there claim they were prevented from going in. Resident and ex-Labour supporter Karen Connolly tells Guido:
“I am a former Labour supporter, I helped with David Miliband’s campaign. Ed Miliband says he was addressing local issues but initially they wouldn’t let us in the hall. I said I was going to have to climb through the window. This is a deprived council estate with problems with asbestos, electrics, hot water and people taking drugs on the stairs 10 seconds away from where he was. He needed to be told about those things. He should publicly say sorry to us.”
Other residents expressed their anger on Twitter:
.@se16 Glorius, confirms a stage managed event by Ed, @coyleneil and @SouthwarkLabour. Other residents will be angry. @garygazza
— Rotherhithe Tenants Campaign Group (@RotherhitheTCG) March 26, 2015
Labour have as yet declined the opportunity to comment. During his interview with Paxman yesterday Miliband insisted “I care about the British people and what happens to them”. So why wouldn’t he listen to the concerns of the residents of Silverlock yesterday morning?
UPDATE: A Labour spokesman eventually gets in touch to insist: “Lots of local people from the Silverlock estate were both invited and actually attended.”
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