Labour Candidates Fred Grindrod and Liz Clements have written to the Conservative West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street and the leader of the Conservative Group on Birmingham City Council, Robert Alden, asking them to condemn remarks made by the Conservative Candidate for Bournville and Cotteridge at yesterday (Thursday 27^th April) evening’s hustings in Bournville and Cotteridge.

In his answers to questions from the public, Councillor Douglas Osborn used the offensive terms “tinker” and “coloured”. He also characterised many users of the B30 foodbank as scroungers.

The foodbank itself is located in Cotteridge Church where the hustings took place. When challenged on this he said that “people didn’t want to hear the truth”.

Fred Grindrod said, “I was shocked by the language used by Councillor Douglas Osborn at tonight’s hustings. A number of members of the public approached me to express their dismay. We have written to both the Mayor and Leader of the Conservative Group asking them to condemn these remarks. The people of Birmingham go to polls on Thursday, they need to know their answer on this issue well in advance of then.’”

Liz Clements said “Bournville Labour Party is proud to support the work of the B30 foodbank, but we are sad that it is necessary in our city due to Conservative Policies. It is incredible that just a day after the #BrumFeeds campaign is launched, a Tory Council candidate calls foodbank users scroungers. It is even more shocking that he said it at a church where the local foodbank is based.”