A left wing Labour candidate for one of the party’s target seats has been accused of trying to “indoctrinate” primary school children. Tory Deputy Chairman Lee Anderson has led a furiouys reaction after Lizzi Collinge, Labour’s candidate for Morecambe and Lunesdale, boasted of going into a village school to talk to children aged between 7 and 10 about tax levels, wealth limits, owning second homes, reducing the price of food, looking after the environment, allowing people to vote at 16, and regulating genetic modification.
Mr Anderson told Express.co.uk: “I cannot believe that seven-year-olds have the faintest interest in genetic modification, second homes, taxes and wealth and wealth limits. When I speak to seven year olds in schools I talk about road safety, being kind and being well behaved at school. Let kids be kids.”
The issue has raised questions about how Labour candidates are treating trips to schools.
The Conservative Deputy Chairman recently visited one of his local primary schools with the Prime Minister where they discussed issues like maths with the children.
Cllr Collinge, is a Labour county councillor in Lancashire, and her activities have provoked fury locally.
Andrew Gardiner leader of the Tory Group on Lancaster City Council accused her of trying to indoctrinate young children.
He said: “It is quite incredible that she’s allowed to go into a primary school and indoctrinate small children in left wing policies. Not to mention releasing a photo of her addressing them, it is a blatant politicisation of children and I can bet their parents will not be impressed.”
Express.co.uk has approached Labour for a comment from Cllr Collinge and the party buit not received a reply.
However, Cllr Collinge told the Lancaster Guardian: “I was really impressed by the quality of questions and debate in the classes – the children were extremely smart and clearly had strong values that they wanted to see in our laws.”
She added: “We discussed why people joined political parties and why there are different political groups. We also talked about how councillors of all parties work hard for their communities and that people become councillors because they want to help. We also discussed respect for different opinions and how to debate ideas in a positive way.”
Her upcoming opponent Morcombe and Lunsdale Conservative MP David Morris said that Cllr Collinge is part of a cohort of Corbynista hard left candidates who will cause Keir Starmer problems if they get elected.
He said: “For all Sir Kier Starmer’s protests of things having changed under his leadership, time and time again Labour have selected Corbynista retreads up and down the country.
“They might have shaved off their beards and put on suits and gel through their hair but they are still the same old Labour.”
