Labour council candidate insults The Queen

There are lots of issues Labour politicians are at odds with public opinion including their own supporters. Most Labour voters want to restore capital punishment, to withdraw from the European Union and would like the Government to go rather further on its measures to restrict welfare spending such as capping Housing Benefit.

But surely there is no issue where the gap is wider between Labour politicians and the public than in the attitude to the monarchy. I suspect most Labour MPs and councillors are closet republicans. But from time to time they make their hostility to the Royal Family public. What makes it worse is that rather than high minded, albeit misguided, constitutional argument this republicanism comes in the form of unpleasant personal abuse.

Here is a tweet from Lazzaro Pietragnoli, the Labour candidate for the Camden Town and Primrose Hill Ward byelection taking place on May 3rd:

"Old fart Betty": don't tell me you are one of those sanctimonious people still calling @queen_uk "Her Majesty the Queen."

The byelection is caused by a Labour councillor quitting.

The local Conservatives say:

This year the Queen celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. Labour Camden reward her 60 years of service to the nation by calling her names. The by-election, caused by a Labour Councillor quitting, will be held on May 3rd. Local Conservatives hope that the Labour candidate will apologise.