So, a liberal democrat candidate for Basingstoke thinks a five year sentence for rape is "excessive"

[BasilFoulEggs]

I'm slightly surprised that the rapist vote has become so big and valuable that it is being courted in Basingstoke, but I know very little of that part of the world and given the current travails of the Lib Dems, I suppose there may be some sort of electoral advantage in tweeting that our justice system is outrageous for actually punishing a rapist properly. Maybe no on else will vote for them anymore, what do I know.

The Lib Dem candidate in question, seems to imagine that if a man is good looking and lots of women "wouldn't say no" to him, then the fact that one woman didn't say yes, means his sentence for rape ought to be lowered. Apart from the fact that this is unfair to ugly rapists, it shows a confusion in his mind about the difference between sex and rape, which means that this young man is not fit to represent women. I'll say nothing about what else he might not be fit to do with women as that doesn't actually have anything to do with his electoral campaign.

I've e-mailed Basingstoke Lib Dems to tell them what I think of their candidate's views, if you want to to, here's the link to their website:

basingstokelibdems.org.uk/en/page/chineham-our-candidate

Emailed Basingstoke LDs and also posted on Stephen Williams MP FB wall asking for his comments as a fellow LD and my MP. I wonder if it will stay?

I have had a response from the Lib Dems:

Dear xxx

Thank you for contacting us regarding the comments made by Liberal Democrat council candidate Liam Elvish on Facebook about the Ched Evans case.

I would like to make it absolutely clear that the party does not agree with the views expressed by Mr Elvish. It is completely inappropriate and damaging to make light of offences such as rape. He has now recognised his mistake and has apologised for his remarks.

However, the Liberal Democrats take comments like these very seriously. The local party will be looking into these comments and will take appropriate further action.

Thank you once again for making us aware of your concerns on this matter.

Kind regards,

Rory Belcher
Liberal Democrats

I can't believe they haven't sacked him off yet.

I've also had that reply - I have emailed again and asked them why the hell no one has publically distanced the party from this rape apologist's comments while they are taking the 'appropriate action'

incandescent doesn't begin to cover it.

I cannot believe that they are unable to see that the fact they haven't is basically implicitly fucking agreeing with him. That's what it looks like. They are in GOVERNMENT they help make the laws about rape. AAAAAAAARGHHH.

He didn't apologise though did he? Has he got any chance of winning in Basingstoke?

I emailed, got same crap reply and mailed back to point out he hasn't apologised. Yet to hear back...

Details of the (very wibbly, half-assed) 'apology' here.

www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/9682403.Facebook_shame_of_council_candidate/

He thinks everyone is entitled to their opinions.

My opinion is the LIAM ELVISH IS NOT FIT TO STAND FOR ELECTION.

He also said "?I accept that it?s an emotive issue. Most of the people who commented are my friends. I?m all up for debate.?

I'm up for debate too, so perhaps he'd like to have one here?

Quite pinkpyjamas, but seeing as he was too chicken shit to turn up to that pre-election debate...

Bombarded HQ with emails yesterday. DS and DD have both been tweeting endlessly canvassing support for Mr Evil-ish to have his candidacy withdrawn.

He hasn't apologised for his remarks.

He has apologised for offending people.

That means he stands by his remarks, he still believes what he said, he beleives that 5 years is too long a sentence for rape, if the man in question is a footballer whom his friends would willingly have sex with.

His remarks and views stand. It's just the offence he regrets, not the actual sentiment.

I have replied with this:

Thank you for your response, however he has not apologised for his remarks at all, he has apologised for causing offense. There is a world of difference. He is still standing by his comments and believes that 5 years for rape is excessive when it is someone his friends would willingly have sex with !?! He claims he is entitled to his opinion, which I agree he is, it is just such a shame that someone who potentially has influence over the wider public has such a cavalier and ignorant attitude when it comes to violence against women; he is a rape apologist and he represents the Liberal Democrats.

I am still soooooooooo cross

I have also had an email back from Paula Baker (deputy leader of the lib dems in Basingstoke council). Basically same thing - she agrees with me re: terrible societal attitudes to rape, but Liam nobber has 'apologised wholeheartedly' and the party will investigate in due course.

FFS. he has not apologised wholeheartedly, and basically he's still being allowed to stand with the lib dem's backing.

How was that wholehearted? The 'I'm sorry if you're offended but I'm entitled to my opinion' bollocks?

Ooo, I've a reply from Lib Dem HQ:

Thank you for contacting us regarding the comments made by Liberal Democrat council candidate Liam Elvish on Facebook about the Ched Evans case.
I would like to make it absolutely clear that the party does not agree with the views expressed by Mr Elvish. It is completely inappropriate and damaging to make light of offences such as rape. He has now recognised his mistake and has apologised for his remarks.
However, the Liberal Democrats take comments like these very seriously. The local party will be looking into these comments and will take appropriate further action.
Thank you once again for making us aware of your concerns on this matter.

I have naturally replied, querying his 'apology' and their stance on this.

Article in the Basingstoke Gazette includes this:

Gavin James, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said he was not aware of Mr Elvish?s Facebook comments, but added: ?I don?t think it was a well thought-out comment. He?s entitled to his opinion but it?s not something the party would agree with.

?I wasn?t in court so I couldn?t comment on the sentence, and I don?t endorse his view. We will have to discuss it with him first before commenting further.

?I don?t think it impacts on his ability to represent Chineham. He?s a young man who?s fairly inexperienced, and young people use Facebook without much thought, and it?s something he might regret later. He?s a young man ? he?s not a professional politician.?

When The Gazette spoke to Mr Elvish at his home in Belvedere Gardens, Chineham, he said: ?It?s a controversial issue. If I have offended anyone, I apologise. I think we are all entitled to our own opinions.?

Agree with the rest. He is clearly apologising for if anyone thinks his remarks are offensive, then clearly states that his is entitled to his own opinion.

That would be the opinion he stated previously Mr Elvish wrote: ?Is it just me or is 5 years is ridiculously excessive>? ... ?The judge said the sentence took into account that there had been no force involved and the complainant received no injuries.? Yet another shameful example of our disproportionate legal system > Most girls I speak to say they wouldn?t say no to Ched Evans, anyway...?

Oh I SEE

Young men are entitled to their opinions that if men who are famous rape someone then it isn't really rape, and that 5 years is too long for rape.

Oh well if YOUNG MEN think that then it must be OK.

For fucking arsing fucks sake.

Are these people completely stupid or do they simply not give the smallest of fucks?

I am SO ANGRY.

Don't these people think that RAPE is a serious enough crime to warrant thinking before opening gobs? If he had defended a child molester would the man have said "He?s a young man who?s fairly inexperienced" and waved it all away?

The young man who said this is NOT FIT to represent women (I imagine he would be quick to condemn men who rape children or men) if these are his views. And this GAVIN JAMES bloke seems to think that it's a-ok that he has these views so fuck him too is what I say.

So he thinks that if you RAPE someone without beating them up as well then it's not really rape?

Who is this cunt?

Would he feel that way if he was raped I wonder.

Why is it excusable because he is a young man and not a professional politician?

Isn't that what he is seeking to become?

He has been watching too much West Wing if he thinks a non-apology apology is going to cut it here.

He's clearly immature, presumably sitting in a seat the LD don't expect to win. Any big public distancing will call more attention to this - they are probably trying to hope it goes away.

It is such a shame there are so few decent local councillors. The head of education in one council near me for several years was a graduate straight from uni with a politics degree. A young man with no work or life experience running a multi-million pound budget and for thousands of children, a life changing job. Why was he doing it and not someone better qualified? There wasn't anyone better qualified. This is a council with some of the worst primary school results in the country. And what are the parties campaigning about this year? Bin collections. That is what the voters care about. Not the instances of scary violent crime, not the poor education their children are receiving in under funded and in some cases not water-tight schools. Not the fact that most council functions have been privatised and there were huge strikes recently because of job and pension cuts to low paid employees, necessary because the council has been leaking money for years. What local people really want is for Labour to take back power so they can get their wheelie bins collected every week. It is so sad.

Local politics is a joke.

If he's so inexperienced and likely to use social media without thinking, why the rubbery jeff are the Lib Dems saying he's in ANY way suitable to represent them and voters? Surely the reasons they seem to think excuse him effectively rule him out of the job?

I'd really like to know what the top brass at the party think of this - the local lib dems seem to be protecting him?

So I've had another reply from the local lib dems - it appears that they haven't been able to remove their backing because the postal ballot happened before he made his comments and they therefore aren't allowed to withdraw him as a candidate. They did withdraw him from the hustings for his ward and there is now an ongoing enquiry.

I got the standard response from Rory Belcher. Also replied pointing out that he hadn't apologised. Still waiting for a response from LibDem HQ. Elvish's views are disgusting and I hope he's held accountable for them. Someone this ill-informed should not be running for any kind of elected office.

I've emailed too and await a response. I feel sick about this whole thing, like everyone else I'm incensed by this fuckwit's comments and if this doesn't end in a sacking for Elvish then we all know the lib dem leadership are a bunch of fucking idiots with no balls, who don't have a clue how to relate to women, and who are not fit to represent any electorate.