MP's husband fined for vandalism

Debi Jones' official website has photographs of the damage

The husband of a Labour MP in Merseyside has been fined for defacing Conservative campaign posters.

Mike Jakub, husband of Crosby MP Claire Curtis-Thomas, was given a fixed penalty notice.

It follows the vandalising of posters promoting Tory candidate Debi Jones on the day of the General Election.

A police spokesman said: "A 53-year-old man from Waterloo has been issued with a fixed penalty notice for criminal damage, which includes an £80 fine."

The large flyers read "Illegal Fly Poster Please Remove", over the Tory posters.

I hope this fine sends out a clear warning to the Labour Party that dirty campaigns really don't work Debi Jones

The 53-year-old former Labour councillor was issued with a fixed penalty notice and fined £80 earlier this week.

Mrs Curtis-Thomas was unavailable for comment on Friday.

Ms Jones, who presents shows on the cable TV shopping channel Yes 655, said: "Vandalism and graffiti are a problem in our constituency.

"It is disgraceful that the sitting MP's husband would stoop to using such tactics to try to affect an election result.

"I hope this fine sends out a clear warning to the Labour Party that dirty campaigns really don't work and, more often than not, backfire on the culprit."

Her official website gives details and photographs of the damage and describes the culprits as "hoodlums".

Mrs Curtis-Thomas, who has previously pledged to crack down on graffiti and vandalism in her constituency, held her seat with a majority of 5,840.