UKIP has slammed the Thurrock Labour group for campaigning before the funeral of a local councillor.
Thurrock Labour has published and distributed a promotional paper that makes a number of references to the life and achievements of Andy Smith, who was leader of Thurrock Councillor for four years.
The prospective candidate, Terry Brookes was also at a community event in the ward along with cllrs and the prospective parliamentary candidate, Polly Billington.
UKIP may well have let it slide by but the paper made a number of stinging attacks on UKIP.
Others point to Labour’s outrage when Thurrock Conservatives were in the Stifford Clays ward, 48 hours after the death of local councillor, Diana Hale.
UKIP MEP and parliamentary candidate, Tim Aker said: "We in UKIP made the clear moral choice out of respect to Andy Smith, his family and friends not to campaign in the ward until after his funeral.
"The fact that Labour are already putting out leaflets that promote their new candidate and attack UKIP is in my view, shocking and completely inappropriate.
"We all know that Labour’s Polly Billington is scared stiff of UKIP’s rise in Thurrock. But this really is a brand of desperate politics that represents the lowest of the low.
"UKIP will not be campaigning in West Thurrock and South Stifford until after Andy Smith’s funeral."
