A good, clean election? - Updated

Adam Hewitt • Published 29 Mar 2010 09:00 2 Comments

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PARLIAMENTARY candidates have formed a blue-green alliance over dirty politics.

Reading West Tory candidate Alok Sharma and Green candidate Adrian Windisch have promised a "positive" election campaign, free from negative campaigning.

Mr Sharma said: "Voters are completely turned off by personal attacks and negative campaigning. I very much hope we will have a positive election campaign with the focus on policy issues."

Mr Windisch added: "We have seen a decline in voter turnout and people have lost trust in politicians. One way to gain it back is to talk about policies not personalities."

Update: Lib Dem candidate in Reading West, Daisy Benson, has also signed the pledge.

She said: "I've signed it on the basis that I've got nothing to hide in terms of having a clean campaign. I was happy to sign it."

But Labour's Naz Sarkar has refused to sign.

He said: "The Labour Party signs up to codes of conduct nationally which I abide by in my campaign. For example, I will be publishing my declaration of interests as the Ministry of Justice has invited all candidates to do.

"This 'pledge' is a cynical attempt by the Tories to close down debate on issues where they feel vulnerable."

The pledge is an amended version of one used in previous campaigns elsewhere in the country. The full text is:

"We, the undersigned, pledge in the Reading West general election campaign:

"To show by our actions that politics need not be a dirty game, but can be a clean and positive activity, engaged in genuinely for the good of all.

"To tell the truth about what we have achieved and stand for and about what others have achieved and stand for.

"To refrain from making personal attacks against, or misleading statements about, other candidates in written literature or verbally.

"Not to mislead the public about who is doing well and about who is likely to win in these elections.

"To make only honest and reasonable promises.

"To fight a clean, positive and honest campaign around the issues that concern the people of Reading West.

"In particular, to be honest about public spending, and not to scaremonger in ways that may frighten the most vulnerable members of our society, such as children and elderly people.

"To take money only from organisations and individuals whose motives in giving us money we do not have reason to suspect."

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Paul
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Mar 30, 11:02
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I believe that Daisy Benson has also agreed to sign, just leaves Labour. I fear they have different plans.

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Loyal Royal
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Apr 5, 08:35
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I welcome this initiative, we need a good, clean fight with the issues being debated.

The last General Election saw the lowest turnout

for generations this is partly because voters see politicians as "mud slingers."

All candidates should sign this pledge then stick to it.

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