THIS WEEK IN 1995: Tory candidate age jibe provokes fury

Retired Gosport schoolteacher Audrey Ellis never imagined her age would become an issue when she announced she would stand as a Conservative in the local council elections.

By The Newsroom

Published 30th Apr 2017, 06:00 BST

Updated 9th May 2017, 18:49 BST

Conservative candidate Audrey Ellis tears up a Liberal Democrat election leaflet

But a leaflet from the town’s ruling Liberal Democrats sparked a furious row for which she won a public apology.

Under the heading ‘Three things to remember’, it included the statement: ‘The Conservative candidate is in her late 80s.’

Mrs Ellis – 74 – said the Lib Dem statement was ‘a prime example of ageism.’

The Leesland Focus letter was published by party leader Peter Chegwyn.

After the Tories threatened to seek legal action unless an apology and retraction were made, Cllr Chegwyn said: ‘We will happily publish a correction and an apology.’

Gosport Liberal Democrats