Kim Leadbeater is trying to have it both ways over the Batley Grammar School row. Asked by the BBC whether she supports the accused teacher (who’s still currently in hiding for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad to his students), Leadbeater said:

“I think what happened at Batley Grammar School has been resolved in terms of the inquiry that’s taken place… we’ve got to a solution now where it has been admitted that mistakes were made, I think that’s really important, and apologies have been made for any offence that was caused. I think it’s horrendous that a teacher has ended up in hiding, I have reached out to him via his union and offered to support him in any way I can…”

Although apparently that “support” doesn’t quite extend to suggesting the teacher returns to work:

“I think that has to be a decision for the teacher… I would imagine he’d probably appreciate having the time and the privacy to do that.”

Conservative candidate Ryan Stephenson immediately pushed back, saying:

“it is completely unacceptable the way the teacher has been dealt with, and the fact he’s had to be in hiding. But the job of an MP is to speak out when things aren’t right, and to challenge and speak up for their communities and we didn’t have that with our last Labour MP… there was no statement bringing the community back together or challenging the school.”

Leadbeater wouldn’t say she wanted the teacher back in school because she knows Galloway would hoover up her voters if she said that, many of whom don’t want him back in school. If Labour candidates won’t stand up for a liberal free society they deserve to lose. Polls close at 10pm tonight…