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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

I am astonished that the last comment was removed as it is public record. However I will try to rephrase.

Others Labour Party members and Office Holders were shown in the court case to have helped Woolas create his illegal campaign.

Why has the Labour Party not suspended their membership and started an investigation?

Nice to know there are still friendships that are above politics. John Healey should be commended for supporting Woolas as a friend.It will be interesting to scrutinized how future election campaigns are conducted in the light of this verdict.

Woolas for PM...whaddaya mean mad? Widdicombe is still in Stricktly isn't she? How mad is that?

I am surprised Woolas has any friends.

I am sure that there are many parliamentary candidates from the past who are now kicking themselves that they hadn't done their homework and didn't know about the provisions (the LAW OF THE LAND, for those who have been bleating that the court decision denies the electorate their choice of representative at Westminster) that could have entitled them to redress; certainly, there have been occasions when I have considered an election address to be of 'dubious' character - and potentially open to contest.

I am sure that Phil Woolas has learned - the hard way - the truth in certain adages about "friends in need"; I commend John Healey for the evident genuineness of his friendship with his former colleague, and take note of the ease with which others have sought to airbrush their past support for the former MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth.

I'd suggest that it's time NN put some researchers on to going through the delection leaflet/web archive to identify as many examples as possible of the offence Phil Woolas is accused of, then lodge formal complaints against every candidate with a case to answer.

When the system then grinds to a halt trying to sort the mess out, perhaps we can go back to voters deciding who should represent them rather than bureaucrats.