Tory candidate slams 'disappointing behaviour' of opponent after campaign signs are vandalised

A Conservative candidate has called for “kinder, gentler politics” after sharing footage of a mystery thief stealing campaign signs from outside a supporter’s house.

Aaron Bell, parliamentary candidate for Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, shared the video on Twitter, writing: “Here's some footage of someone stealing my signs from outside a supporter's house this morning. They also broke their Christmas lights.”

He added: “Kinder, gentler politics.”

Mr Bell’s comments came as voters turned out in force for the first Christmas election in nearly 100 years, with queues reported at polling stations in constituencies across the country.

Mr Bell added another tweet showing a picture of a broken sign and the broken Christmas lights.

Shortly afterwards he posted pictures of new signs that had been put up in their place.

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Mr Bell told Yahoo News UK: “This is incredibly disappointing behaviour from someone who is a political opponent of the Conservatives. Sadly, defacement of our posters and boards is all too common.

“Vandalism and damage to property are never legitimate in our public life and the individual recorded should feel thoroughly ashamed.”

The incident involving Mr Bell’s sign is not the first allegation of vandalism during this general election campaign.

Last month, vandals in Swindon crudely changed Justice Secretary Robert Buckland’s billboard to change the ‘B’ in his surname into an ‘F’.

And earlier in November, a Labour councillor was left shocked after she found a swastika painted on her boat when she returned home.

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