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| Eastleigh by-election: Maria Hutchings and John O'Farrell spark controversy | Eastleigh by-election: Maria Hutchings and John O'Farrell spark controversy |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Two candidates in the Eastleigh by-election have become embroiled in controversy over comments on state schools and Margaret Thatcher. | Two candidates in the Eastleigh by-election have become embroiled in controversy over comments on state schools and Margaret Thatcher. |
| Tory hopeful Maria Hutchings provoked a backlash after suggesting her son would need private schooling to be a surgeon. | Tory hopeful Maria Hutchings provoked a backlash after suggesting her son would need private schooling to be a surgeon. |
| Meanwhile, comments in a 1998 book by Labour candidate John O'Farrell have surfaced, in which he said he was "disappointed" IRA bombers did not kill the ex-PM in its 1984 Brighton attack. | |
| The parties have backed the candidates. | The parties have backed the candidates. |
| The by-election, set to take place on 28 February, was triggered after Chris Huhne admitted evading speeding points and resigned as Liberal Democrat MP for the Hampshire seat. | The by-election, set to take place on 28 February, was triggered after Chris Huhne admitted evading speeding points and resigned as Liberal Democrat MP for the Hampshire seat. |
| Huhne, 58, is expected to be sentenced for perverting the course of justice this week. | Huhne, 58, is expected to be sentenced for perverting the course of justice this week. |
| 'An insult' | 'An insult' |
| Mrs Hutchings prompted controversy after saying: "William [her son] is very gifted which gives us another interesting challenge in finding the right sort of education for him - impossible in the state system. | Mrs Hutchings prompted controversy after saying: "William [her son] is very gifted which gives us another interesting challenge in finding the right sort of education for him - impossible in the state system. |
| "He wants to be a cardio-respiratory surgeon." | "He wants to be a cardio-respiratory surgeon." |
| The comments prompted Labour leader Ed Miliband to write on Twitter: "Comments from Maria Hutchings totally wrong. An insult to every state school in the country. And all of their pupils." | The comments prompted Labour leader Ed Miliband to write on Twitter: "Comments from Maria Hutchings totally wrong. An insult to every state school in the country. And all of their pupils." |
| A Conservative spokesman later said: "Maria Hutchings wants all children to get the best possible education - that's why she's backing Michael Gove's reforms to bring back rigour to the state education system after 13 years of Labour. | A Conservative spokesman later said: "Maria Hutchings wants all children to get the best possible education - that's why she's backing Michael Gove's reforms to bring back rigour to the state education system after 13 years of Labour. |
| "Maria has campaigned tirelessly to help parents of children with special educational needs get the best education for them." | "Maria has campaigned tirelessly to help parents of children with special educational needs get the best education for them." |
| In an interview with the BBC's Sunday Politics programme, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps pointed out that Mrs Hutchings, her husband and two of their three children, had gone to state schools. | In an interview with the BBC's Sunday Politics programme, Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps pointed out that Mrs Hutchings, her husband and two of their three children, had gone to state schools. |
| He said it was "perfectly reasonable" for parents to look for the best options for their child. | He said it was "perfectly reasonable" for parents to look for the best options for their child. |
| 'Bad taste' | 'Bad taste' |
| In his book, entitled Things Can Only Get Better, published in 1998, Mr O'Farrell wrote: "In October, 1984, when the Brighton bomb went off, I felt a surge of excitement at the nearness of Margaret Thatcher's demise. And yet disappointment that such a chance had been missed." | In his book, entitled Things Can Only Get Better, published in 1998, Mr O'Farrell wrote: "In October, 1984, when the Brighton bomb went off, I felt a surge of excitement at the nearness of Margaret Thatcher's demise. And yet disappointment that such a chance had been missed." |
| Five people were killed and 34 injured during the attack on the Grand Hotel during the Conservative Party conference. | Five people were killed and 34 injured during the attack on the Grand Hotel during the Conservative Party conference. |
| Former Conservative chairman Lord Tebbit, who was injured in the blast along with his wife, responded angrily to Mr O'Farrell's selection. | Former Conservative chairman Lord Tebbit, who was injured in the blast along with his wife, responded angrily to Mr O'Farrell's selection. |
| "Ed Miliband should repudiate this incontinently voiced moral reprobate who tries to excuse murder as a weapon against those who won democratic elections time after time against the rag-bag remnants of a once great Labour Party," he told the Mail on Sunday. | "Ed Miliband should repudiate this incontinently voiced moral reprobate who tries to excuse murder as a weapon against those who won democratic elections time after time against the rag-bag remnants of a once great Labour Party," he told the Mail on Sunday. |
| Mr O'Farrell, writing on Twitter after the comments came to light, said: "So the Mail have gone for me on something I already volunteered about myself, which I said in 1984, and acknowledged was wrong as I said it." | Mr O'Farrell, writing on Twitter after the comments came to light, said: "So the Mail have gone for me on something I already volunteered about myself, which I said in 1984, and acknowledged was wrong as I said it." |
| Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: "I'm sure if you asked him now whether he [Mr O'Farrell] agreed with that [the comments] now he would say no." | Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: "I'm sure if you asked him now whether he [Mr O'Farrell] agreed with that [the comments] now he would say no." |
| He said the book was written 20 years ago, adding: "Some of it is in bad taste and should not have been said, but he was writing a book that was at the time, very funny, very witty." | He said the book was written 20 years ago, adding: "Some of it is in bad taste and should not have been said, but he was writing a book that was at the time, very funny, very witty." |
| He said the comments were "probably bad humour - him trying to be funny, but clearly not funny". | He said the comments were "probably bad humour - him trying to be funny, but clearly not funny". |
| Mr Miliband, on a visit to Eastleigh on Saturday, defended the choice of the author and satirist as the party's candidate. | Mr Miliband, on a visit to Eastleigh on Saturday, defended the choice of the author and satirist as the party's candidate. |
| "John O'Farrell is showing he's a breath of fresh air, frankly - a breath of fresh air for this by-election and a breath of fresh air for politics and I tell you what you know he may have written funny novels but he's utterly serious about trying to win this by-election and trying to serve the people of Eastleigh and showing that there is a different way forward for Eastleigh," he said. | "John O'Farrell is showing he's a breath of fresh air, frankly - a breath of fresh air for this by-election and a breath of fresh air for politics and I tell you what you know he may have written funny novels but he's utterly serious about trying to win this by-election and trying to serve the people of Eastleigh and showing that there is a different way forward for Eastleigh," he said. |
| The Labour leader said he was "determined to fight for every vote". | The Labour leader said he was "determined to fight for every vote". |
| Prime Minister David Cameron, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and UKIP's Nigel Farage have already visited Eastleigh. | Prime Minister David Cameron, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg and UKIP's Nigel Farage have already visited Eastleigh. |
| The Lib Dems held the seat with a 3,864-vote majority in 2010. | The Lib Dems held the seat with a 3,864-vote majority in 2010. |
| The candidates in full: | The candidates in full: |
| COLIN BEX - Wessex regionalists | COLIN BEX - Wessex regionalists |
| DAVID BISHOP - Elvis Loves Pets Party | DAVID BISHOP - Elvis Loves Pets Party |
| JIM DUGGAN - Peace Party | JIM DUGGAN - Peace Party |
| RAY HALL - Beer, Baccy and Crumpet Party | RAY HALL - Beer, Baccy and Crumpet Party |
| HOWLING LAUD HOPE - Monster Raving Loony William Hill Party | HOWLING LAUD HOPE - Monster Raving Loony William Hill Party |
| MARIA HUTCHINGS - Conservative | MARIA HUTCHINGS - Conservative |
| DIANE JAMES - UK Independence Party | DIANE JAMES - UK Independence Party |
| DR IAIN MACLENNAN - National Health Action Party | DR IAIN MACLENNAN - National Health Action Party |
| KEVIN MILBURN - Christian Party "Proclaiming Christ's Lordship" | KEVIN MILBURN - Christian Party "Proclaiming Christ's Lordship" |
| JOHN O'FARRELL - Labour | JOHN O'FARRELL - Labour |
| DARREN PROCTER - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition | DARREN PROCTER - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition |
| DANNY STUPPLE - Independent | DANNY STUPPLE - Independent |
| MIKE THORNTON - Liberal Democrats | MIKE THORNTON - Liberal Democrats |
| MICHAEL WALTERS - The English Democrats - "Putting England First!" | MICHAEL WALTERS - The English Democrats - "Putting England First!" |