Welsh Labour candidate: 'Fingers crossed' for Thatcher's death
Wednesday, 27 April 2011 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
A Welsh Labour candidate has been reprimanded after he made comments on Facebook wishing the death of former prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
In 2010, Joe Lock commented on a link to a Facebook group called 'Is Margaret Thatcher dead yet?', writing "can't be long, fingers crossed".
He also wrote disparaging comments about the Conservative party, saying he "loves Tories, as long as they are impaled on a large spike" and attacked Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg at the time of the coalition negotiations.
The 25-year-old Mr Lock apologised for his comments and issued a personal apology to Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones for any embarrassment.
"These were stupid comments and intended for friends, but that is absolutely no excuse," he said.
"I accept completely that I should not have made these comments and I apologise unreservedly to anyone I may have offended."
The Conservative party said the comments were "offensive".
"They are offensive, abusive and completely unacceptable for anyone seeking public office," a spokesperson said.
"There is no place in politics for extreme remarks that appear to incite violence."
Mr Lock, who took time off from being a mature politics student to run for the Welsh Assembly, is the candidate for Ynys Mon.
Both Plaid Cymru and the Tories called on Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones to distance himself from the comments.
The Labour party issued Mr Lock with a formal reprimand.
"These comments are totally unacceptable and we have issued Mr Lock with a formal reprimand and a warning about his future conduct which he has accepted," a spokesperson said.
"These comments may have been made in jest when Mr Lock was a student, but youth and naivety are no defence for what are clearly inappropriate remarks."
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