Lib Dem chief's walkabout heads down a Rocky road

03 May 2006

Rocky Fernandez confronts Sir Menzies Campbell as Paul Lorber looks on

It was meant to be pleasant walkabout but things turned ugly when a former Liberal Democrat candidate confronted his old boss.

Sir Menzies Campbell had chosen to spend the last day of campaigning before the local election touring Willesden.

But his parade along Walm Lane took an unexpected turn when, as if from nowhere, campaigner Rocky Fernandez appeared outside Ruhit's Indian Cuisine to question the Liberal leader.

There was a scuffle between Mr Fernandez, a Lib Dem candidate for Queens Park until just a few weeks ago, and Brent's Lib Dem leader Cllr Paul Lorber.

Mr Fernandez roared at Cllr Lorber to 'get your hands off me', before challenging Sir Menzies on the Lib Dem decision to deselect him.

Holding a banner that read 'Wicked, Ruthless, Backstabbing' Mr Fernandez denounced Brent's Lib Dems for failing to attend council meetings.

He told Sir Menzies how he had been deselected for sending a letter to the Wembley & Kingsbury Times which criticised Cllr Havard Hughes (Lib Dem: Wembley Central) for claiming to be 'proud' of his non-attendance record.

Sir Menzies remained calm throughout the onslaught, replying that he had faith in Brent's Lib Dems to decide how they can most effectively serve their constituents.

As the Liberal leader moved on up Walm Lane, Mr Fernandez announced to the TV cameras that he was a former Lib Dem candidate who had just been assaulted by Cllr Lorber. Cllr Lorber later claimed he had believed he was being attacked, and was defending himself.

Speaking afterwards Mr Fernandez said: "He grabbed me from behind and pulled me back with both hands, I call that assault. I could have responded and given him a right hook, but I did not think that would be democratic."

Mr Fernandez's dramatic bust up with the Lib Dems took place at the end of March when the Times exposed the party's poor attendance record at council meetings.

Mr Fernandez was thrown out of the party for not adhering to its agreed media strategy, when he sent the Times a letter which was not authorised by his party's agent.

See next week's Times for an exclusive interview with Sir Menzies.

See our other Local Elections 2006 reports

Lib Dems poll campaign gets off to a Rocky start.

The Election Battleground: Your guide to the key seats No.3 Queen's Park.