Praful Nargund

LABOUR’S opponents took aim at general election candidate Praful Nargund for refusing to appear at three hustings this week – as empty chairs were used to highlight his absence.

Mr Nargund decided not to attend debates in Islington North on climate, health and housing in the final run-up to polling day.

Hustings are traditional pre-election events in which candidates explain why they want to be an MP and what they will do if they win.

The Islington Climate Centre said it had given plenty of notice of its event but had to go ahead with independent candidate Jeremy Corbyn, the Lib Dems’ Vikas Aggarwal and the Green Party’s Sheridan Kates.

The same line-up sat down to answer questions on housing on Wednesday for a debate organised by the community group ACORN – without Mr Nargund or Conservative candidate Karen Ann Harries.

Empty chairs at the housing hustings

Another session on health policy organised by Keep Our NHS  Public was cancelled after Mr Nargund declined the invitation.

Caroline Royds, a trustee of Islington Climate Centre who organised the environ­ment hustings said: “What I was so disappointed about is that the climate is such a crucial issue, I was conscious about the fact that people are nervous about Labour. They’ve had to row back on many promises, but for me it was a wonderful opportunity to be reassuring and knowledgable about all these things.”

Lucy Facer, who chaired the hustings, added: “To chair a debate without Labour is frustrating. How can people make a fair choice about when one party isn’t there.”

Meanwhile, Fredi Gentz, the North London Organiser for ACORN, said that Labour “didn’t even reply”, adding: “I thought it was quite disrespectful towards all the people who put the hard work into organising it, and the constituents in Islington who deserved to get answers.

“To me, that either means they don’t think people in Islington are important or they don’t have a housing policy.”

Mr Nargund did not attend the climate change hustings

During the debates that did go ahead, Mr Corbyn said: “If you seek a responsible public office position like being a member of parliament, expect questions, and expect accountability.”

Mr Aggarwal added that “just not wanting to do it [the hustings] is not a good enough excuse. Labour have a massive, massive workforce. I would have presumed they could have spared him for a night or two.”

Ms Kates echoed the other candidates’ concerns. “If it were down to me,” she said, “I would make it disqualifying for candidates to run for office if they refused every hustings invite they were sent.”

Labour said this week that Mr Nargund was focused on door-knocking in the lead-up to the campaign, but Mr Aggarwal said his lack of attendance at the hustings was “disrespectful”.

A Labour campaign spokesperson said: “Praful had to decline the hustings and sent his apologies. This is a snap election and our priority is speaking directly to as many voters as possible in the limited time we have available. We’ve already spoken to thousands of local residents in the last few weeks, and will be speaking to thousands more before election day.”