Watford
Councillor quits over cancer scam
A COUNCILLOR has resigned only a week after being elected as it has emerged that he had lied to his employer that he had cancer.
The ruling Conservative group of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council was tipped off by a resident that Darren Gilbert, 22, had been dismissed last year from his job at Tesco's distribution depot in Welham Green.
It appears he had claimed to be seriously ill to justify a lengthy absence from work.
Confronted by his party colleagues, he stood down from his seat in Hatfield Central, where there will have to be a by-election.
Labour councillor Colin Croft said: "Fancy telling people you've got cancer when you haven't - what a horrendous thing to do."
Council leader John Dean said Mr Gilbert, like all candidates for election, had signed a declaration to say there was nothing in the past which could cause embarassment, and that the party had acted swiftly as soon as the facts were known.
He said: "It was regarded as a very serious breach of proper conduct."
12:24pm Friday 9th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Bob, St Albans on 12:05am Sat 10 May 08
The inevitable consequence of selecting immature schoolboy types to hype up a party's image to 'connect with the yoof vote'. Outcome: the yoof will see through this cynical manipulation and will be even less interested in voting.
The inevitable consequence of selecting immature schoolboy types to hype up a party's image to 'connect with the yoof vote'. Outcome: the yoof will see through this cynical manipulation and will be even less interested in voting.
Posted by: simon, out there... on 10:56am Sat 10 May 08
A very silly thing to do.But is it any worse than, for example, a PM laying out a case for going to war based on a state having 'weapons of mass destruction' and said state having f'all 'weapons of mass destruction'?
A very silly thing to do.But is it any worse than, for example, a PM laying out a case for going to war based on a state having 'weapons of mass destruction' and said state having f'all 'weapons of mass destruction'?
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