Messages from a WhatsApp group have recently surfaced.
Alex-Salik Imran is the Green Party candidate in Ardwick(Image: Manchester Green Party / Facebook)
A Green Party candidate in Manchester has sparked outrage over comments about his Labour rival’s cancer treatment.
Alex-Salik Imran is a student nurse and the Green Party’s candidate in the Ardwick ward for the local elections on May 7.
He is running against incumbent Labour councillor Tina Hewitson who is being treated for cancer.
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Messages have surfaced from a WhatsApp group of university students staying at the Whitworth park flats which Imran is a member of, along with more than 200 others.
The messages have been seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
During a conversation in the group on April 4, the Green Party candidate said he ‘hasn’t seen’ Councillor Hewitson out in the community.
Another member of the group explains that Councillor Hewitson is battling cancer, and points out that she has been attending community events and reporting local issues to the council.
The Green candidate later posts: “Tina shouldn’t be running if she’s ill, and weaponising her illness in that way is very unethical.
“If she can’t do the things she needs to do as a councillor, that’s OK but we still have a duty to scrutinise and challenge, as she’s still running to be the candidate.
“If she can’t handle the heat, I suggest she focuses on her health, and I wish her the best that can come of such a horrible disease.”
The Green Party has issued an apology over the comments, saying that their candidate in Ardwick ‘recognises the challenges that come with living with cancer.’
Alex-Salik Imran was approached directly for comment, but said he has nothing further to add to his party’s statement.
Councillor Tina Hewitson has issued a statement about the Green Party candidate’s comments(Image: Andy Lambert / MEN)
In a statement, Labour Councillor Hewitson said she felt ‘totally disgusted’ at the messages sent in the WhatsApp group by the Green Party candidate.
She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s been difficult enough whilst I’m still going through treatment, without being called out for having cancer, and to say I’m using my cancer diagnosis to get votes couldn’t be further from my mind.
“There are a lot of families like myself whose lives have been touched by cancer and lost family, myself included in that, I lost both parents, and it was a shock losing my brother to cancer.
“How dare the Green candidate Alex-Salik Imran discuss my personal life with other people, and how dare he tell me to step down, he knows nothing about me, I’ve been a councillor now for 11 years, and he wants to play dirty politics, so much for the Green Party wanting to invest in the NHS, yet willing to call out a councillor who’s going through cancer, I am totally disgusted.”
She added: “The only time I took time out from council was when I had to have two major operations after my cancer diagnosis, I was supported by family and friends, I still picked up casework whilst I was recovering, went on Zoom meetings, then after six months I was back at work even though I wasn’t fully recovered, I couldn’t stand the idea of sitting at home staring at four walls.”
A Green Party spokesperson said: “Our Ardwick candidate has been campaigning in the ward ahead of this week’s local elections and was concerned he hadn’t seen Coun Hewitson before he was made aware she was unwell.
“As a student nurse, Alex recognises the challenges that come with living with cancer. We apologise unreservedly to Coun Hewitson and we wish her all the best with her recovery.”
Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester Labour group secretary, said he was ‘deeply appalled’ by the Green Party candidate’s remarks.
He added: “It is a misleading and opportunistic attack that ignores Tina’s proven record of tireless service to the local community service she continued even while undergoing cancer treatment at The Christie.
“It is a new low for politics in Manchester and something the Green Party should be ashamed of. I am going to report this to Zack Polanski, and ask for a full apology.”
Coun Karney explained that he has known his Labour colleague for 15 years.
He continued: “She lives in the community she serves, raised her family there, and has consistently stood up for her neighbours when it would have been easier to step back.
“The facts speak for themselves. Tina has one of the strongest attendance records on the council, better than the average Green councillor, demonstrating her commitment to representing Ardwick properly.
“Ardwick deserves serious representation, not smear tactics and misinformation. I have no doubt that Tina will continue to be a powerful local champion, putting residents first and working relentlessly for the community.”