MP urged to apologise over referendum attack
Next month's Transport Innovation Fund referendum question will include reference to the proposed congestion charge for Greater Manchester.
Manchester North MP Graham Stringer, alongside others who are campaigning for people to vote 'no' in the poll, have been openly critical of the question, saying that it was biased in favour of a 'yes' vote.
Yes campaigners have today (Wednesday 29 October) urged the MP to apologise to Sir Neil McIntosh, the independent returning officer for the transport referendum, after it emerged the ballot paper will include references to both the congestion charge and the £3 billion transport investment.
The call from The Greater Manchester Yes Campaign came as the publication of ballot paper revealed that it would make two references to the congestion charge, before going on to ask people whether they support or oppose the congestion charging and transport investment proposals.
Mr Stringer and other critics of Greater Manchester's transport proposals had previously claimed no mention would be made of the peak time congestion charge, and accused the returning officer of "a fiddle".
The final decision will be made at a meeting of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA) this Friday.
Rochdale's MP Paul Rowen has backed calls for a public apology.
"It is extremely unhelpful when people deliberately mislead, preferring to scaremonger. Certain MPs have claimed on a number of occasions that the words - 'Congestion Charging' are not on the ballot paper. The release of the draft ballot paper, set to go to AGMA Leaders on Friday actually mentions it twice", he said.
"People should be left to make their own minds up on the issue of whether they want to see over £3 Billion of investment in Greater Manchester's transport infrastructure or hand it back to London.
"The misinformation being peddled is not helpful to anybody, what this coalition of 'No' Campaigners should be doing is setting out their arguments. Instead, what we are seeing is a ragtag of false and misleading statements from politicians who should know better."
Deputy Leader of Rochdale Council, Councillor Irene Davidson will vote on whether or not to keep the proposed question at an AGMA meeting this Friday.
She said: "I will be voting to keep this fair and balanced ballot paper. I feel some MPs have deliberately given people false information and it is an insult to the intelligence of the people of Greater Manchester. The ballot paper is unambiguous and to the point and ensures that people make a decision based on the facts."
Commenting, a spokesman for the 'Yes Campaign' said: "Graham Stringer and other supporters of the 'No' campaign have deliberately attempted to mislead the public and undermine the credibility of the independent Returning Officer. Their claim that there would be no reference to the congestion charge has been shown to be completely and utterly false.
"If the 'No' campaign cannot even be trusted to tell the truth about something as simple as the wording on the ballot paper, what can they be trusted on?
"He and his colleagues should issue an unreserved apology to Sir Neil McIntosh without delay."