THE WOMAN who finds herself at the centre of a row over ‘fake independent’ candidates in the forthcoming local elections has been left dumbfounded.
For it has been claimed Marie Fairhurst never knew someone by her name will appear on the ballot paper.
Candidates with that moniker and Muhammad Ali are being fielded in the hotly contested St Peter’s ward, in which Ahmed Mehmood has high hopes of victory on Thursday, May 7.
His agent, Cllr Kaleel Khan, claims they are only there in an attempt by the Labour Party to split the independent vote so its candidate, Atta Ul-Rasool, will win.
He also claimed a private Labour-only event was attended by those who proposed both and even dubbed Ashton’s MP Angela Rayner as the ‘mastermind.’
Now The Correspondent – the first title to report on the situation – can reveal Marie Fairhurst, of Whiteacre Road in Ashton-under-Lyne, has been left confused by the whole situation.
For a friend, who says she knows the 59-year-old personally, has told how she has never signed up to be a councillor, nor as they put it, ‘let alone run to be a candidate.’
This Marie Fairhurst admitted two counts of fly tipping – one taking place on Russell Street and the other on Stanhope Street – when she appeared at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on Monday, September 23, 2024.
But seeing the same name appear on the St Peter’s candidate list – and the reaction since – has left who is described as ‘a 59-year-old woman with learning difficulties and lives alone’ at the centre of a furore.
The friend told The Correspondent: “It could bring negativity to a woman’s house that has nothing to do with running as a candidate.
“Yes, the Marie I know did fly tip back in 2024 and has also paid off the fine, so that could be where they mistakenly got her name or deliberately.
“Either way, it’s wrong and my friend is upset. She has no clue what any of this is about.”
The Correspondent has asked Tameside Council if the Marie Fairhurst on the ballot paper is the same Marie Fairhurst who was fined in 2024 and if so, whether that would disqualify her.
After being told that question had been forwarded ‘to the relevant officers’ and seeing that it had been, no answer has yet been received.
However, both Cllr Wills and Ms Rayner, both described the claims as ‘nonsense.’
A spokesperson for Angela Rayner said: “These claims are obviously nonsense.
“Angela has had no input or involvement in the selection of candidates for any of the wards within her constituency.”
And when asked, Cllr Wills responded: “With regards to the claims, they’re utter nonsense.
“Democracy is at the heart of everything we stand for and represent, democratically.
“I’d say, members of the independent group have not been democratically elected as independents, perhaps they should test that and take the opportunity to re-stand in their wards as independents.”
The Correspondent has approached Greater Manchester Police after Cllr Wills was believed to have reported the accusations against Labour to the force and the Electoral Commission.