29th April 2010

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT DIRTY TRICKS CAMPAIGN
 
I was astonished when I read a press release composed by the Liberal Democrat candidate for Feltham & Heston and sent to me by the Times to respond to. The press release stated that I had made 64 "appearances" between 2005 and 2009 and that "he (Alan Keen) quite clearly very rarely turned up to actually do his job". I do not believe that this could have been a misunderstanding. It can only be an attempt at this late stage of the election campaign to discredit me. I am seeking legal advice and will make a report to the Electoral Commission. 
 
It is not credible that the Liberal Democrat candidate fails to understand that speaking in the chamber of the House of Commons is only a small fraction of an MP's role - and almost certainly the least effective part of the job. I spent little more than 20 minutes in Feltham Centre with the Home Secretary on Tuesday afternoon and in that short time, 7 or 8 people approached to thank me for the help I had given with their personal problems through my casework system. I have dealt with over 10,000 cases since 2005. 
 
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, of which I am the longest serving member, has just completed a year long inquiry into Press Standards and Libel Tourism taking evidence from dozens of witnesses including Gerry McCann talking about the loss of his daughter and the treatment his family received from the print media. I have held meetings, formal and informal, with ministers on behalf of constituents and written letters and held meetings in Parliament with constituents. The list is endless.
 
I know there will be a very large number of people I have worked with, and for, who will be as angry as I am about Munira Wilson's irresponsible comments".
 
Alan Keen