The UK Independence Party (UKIP) prospective parliamentary candidate, Iain McKie, informed the audience at last night’s (Monday) hustings in Sandown that former MP, Andrew Turner, had threatened him with legal action.
The lawyer’s letter relates to claims contained in a press release Mr McKie issued last week referring to Mr Turner’s health last summer.
“Serious and unfounded attack”
Lawyers acting on behalf of Mr Turner, the Island Conservative’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the 2015 election, claim Mr McKie “launched a serious, unfounded attack” on their client’s character, casting doubt on his medical condition.
They go on to claim the information provided by the “credible source” referred to in Mr McKie’s press release was false, a fact, they say, that could have been confirmed had Iain McKie checked with Mr Turner prior to the allegations being made.
The lawyer’s letter demanded that Mr McKie reveal the source of his information, and issue a signed apology. A deadline of last Friday (17th April) was given, which Mr McKie has ignored.
Refuses to be “intimidated”
Following last night’s hustings, Iain McKie told OnTheWight,
“I refuse to be intimidated by tactics not seen since Derek Hatton was around.
“Politicians should never hide behind the skirts of lawyers when their competence is called into question.”
Turner puts episode down to heat
Following the distribution of Mr McKie’s press release last week, OnTheWight posed a series of questions to Andrew Turner.
He told OnTheWight,
“I have had no serious health issues since my stroke in 2006. I felt unwell one hot day last summer, and was advised to go to hospital for a check up which I did and stayed overnight for observation as I was alone in London. No problems were diagnosed and there were no lasting effects; the doctor put it down to the heat.
“However in view of my medical history I was advised not to drive until further tests were carried out. The tests confirmed that there was nothing to worry about and I resumed driving.”
He went on to say,
“It is a pity that Mr McKie feels the need to smear other candidates rather than concentrating on his own campaign.”
Any publication who published the McKie allegations are also open to the same legal actions.
