NW Libdemology: Rochdale Lib Dems Seem Proud of Their Libels

It was around a week ago now, on the eve of the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election, fought over scurrilous leafletry and in which Tim Farron claimed with no hint of irony that his party had turned their back on their unremitting filthy tactics, when your blogger of Labour Loveliness facebooked this comment which ought to have been a clue for Rochdale Lib Dems to wind in their disgraceful campaigning methods, and at least practice "sheepish" for when they were inevitably caught at it:

Lib Dems in a neighbouring constituency have shown their commitment to clean campaigning by sticking out a leaflet featuring a couple of naughty Labour ex-MPs and their Labour opponent on an equal footing. Well, there is a sneaky question mark. But it is bang to rights libel by juxtaposition.
Utterly libellous and extraordinarily put out by the Director of a local media organisation owned by the respectable Oldham Chronicle. Lib Dems in this neck of the woods are dirty as hell and all their butter wouldn't melt hypocrisy is being seen through by the people.
Elwyn Watkins placed something like 58th of 60 in a councillor laziness index produced by Rochdale Observer a couple of years ago.
He has conspired with the rest of the sick Rochdale Lib Dem crew in an allowances tithe scheme generating huge amounts
which were neither declared to the EC or triggered the required annual accounts (LOLs passim).
And he has conspired in the outrageous contrived tenancy the former Rochdale MP Paul Rowen had in renting using tax payers' money from a Lib Dem organisation at an "independent" rent set by one of that organisation's Directors. The local party and their John Bull printing soc also tenants (also LOLs passim).
Cleaning up politics? Elwyn Watkins is a lazy disgrace from a local party who don't have the first idea about honesty and clean campaigning.

Other points to look out for on this gutter snipe leaflet. The responsible Lib Dem councillor quotes a "Local resident" who is actually his partner, and also quotes a rightly maligned publication which (a) has often seemed little more than a propaganda and defamation machine for Rochdale Lib Dems and which donated via main man Malcolm Bad Boy Porn-O to Paul Rowen's failed campaign, and (b) that is his own direct employer, and (c) of which he is a Company Director. And this Lib Dem councillor - Keith Swift - has been defending this "Guilty" libel over and over and over again on BBC and commercial radio, BBC TV and (for publication tomorrow) the inkies. Keep digging you great fool Keith!

I imagine that steps towards legal action are imminent if not already underway. The Lib Dems nationally are said to weighing in with talk - would you believe a single word (or three letter acronym: VAT, EMA, FJF) Clegg's sidemen say these days? - of an enquiry. Simon Danczuk and Rochdale Labour should settle for the title deeds of 144-146 Drake Street, knock it down, and finally banish the very bad smell that has been drifting over the Town since Cyril Smith were a wee scrawner rifling in the bins for bacon rinds in the ginnels of Spotland.

FOOTNOTE: Needless to say Mr Swift's handiwork is also chock full of all the usual lib Dems lies about the economy and the cuts and the pupil premium and all that.