A CALL for residents to spoil their votes at this month’s local elections has been condemned.

A leaflet was shoved through letterboxes on the afternoon of polling day asking people to get rid of Hatfield Town Council.

The A5 note pictured politicians from the Labour and Conservative parties and even featured a WHT headline.

Despite praising the good work MEP Richard Howitt, MP Grant Shapps, county councillor Stuart Pile and borough councillors Linda Mendez and Kieran Thorpe do, it called on voters to spoil their vote as a protest against the town council.

One of the leaflets landed on Hatfield resident John Fitzpatrick’s doormat.

He said: “This is an extremely cowardly action and not in the interest of Hatfield residents, whoever is behind should be ashamed.

“The flyer does not call for an illegal act but it is a distinctly underhand.”

The leaflet was condemned by all sides.

MP Grant Shapps said: “However you feel about the town council, there is no advantage to spoiling your ballot paper.

“The way to do it is through proper debate and nobody should encourage people to destroy their vote.

“It’s basically asking people to lose their voice.”

Welwyn Hatfield Labour leader Kieran Thorpe agreed.

He said “It’s a bit of a mystery to me who might be behind it as I can’t see who would benefit from calling for people to spoil their voting papers.

“It mentions the Labour Party had no coherent policy on Hatfield Town Council, which is completely untrue.

“Our leaflets called for the continued existence of a town council for Hatfield.”

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