Yahoo News Tory Tynemouth candidate derided for holiday absence from General Election count
The Conservative candidate for Tynemouth was a no-show at tonight's count as he is currently on holiday - a move branded "disgraceful" and "discourteous" by Labour rivals.
Tynemouth councillor Lewis Bartoli was unable to attend the count for the parliamentary seat he was fighting for on account of a "pre-planned family holiday" that, according to his election agent and fellow Tory councillor Liam Bones could not have been moved. However, his absence has sparked fury among political contemporaries.
Speaking on coun Bartoli's behalf, coun Bones said: "This election came as a surprise to everyone pretty much and Lewis had a pre-planned family holiday which he was unable to cancel or move."
Upon hearing the news, Labour Tynemouth councillor Tom Bailey said: "I am shocked that Lewis is not here. It seems like a clear show of disrespect towards the Tynemouth electorate."
Whitley Bay Labour councillor Joe Kiriwn added: "It is an absolute disgrace that he is not willing to turn up and hear the voices of the residents of Tynemouth. I understand it was pre-planned but if that's the case you shouldn't have put yourself forward."
North Tyneside Council cabinet member for the environment, Labour councillor Hannah Johnson commented: "It is truly incredible that, as a parliamentary candidate and local councillor in the constituency, Lewis Bartoli had failed to even show up to the election night count.
"This clearly shows that the local Tories have absolutely no respect for our residents - they can't even bother to put up a candidate who wasn't on holiday during the election. If they can't do that, then what does that say about what they think of voters in Tynemouth".
On hearing the news, newly re-elected Tynemouth MP Sir Alan Campbell said that while everyone has the right to enjoy family time, the election "has been in the diary for a number of weeks" and his rival's absence was "disappointing" and "discourteous".
In response to the backlash, coun Bones reiterated that the holiday was pre-planned ahead of the election and that coun Bartoli was unable to alter it.
Coun Bones continued: "There are a plethora of local Conservative councillors here tonight. The real question should be where has Alan Campbell been for five years and not where Lewis is for one night."
In his absence, coun Bartoli came second out of nine candidates, amassing a total of 9,036 votes, with Reform rival Rosalyn Elliott placing third with 7,392 ballots to her name.
