Conservative candidate calls Lib Dem’s death “useful”

This is one story about another party that I wish weren’t true. From the Daily Mirror:

George Hollingbery, a Tory councillor in Winchester [and Parliamentary Candidate for Meon Valley], Hants, has sparked fury by calling the death of Lib Dem colleague Sue Fitzgerald “very useful”.

Sue died suddenly at the weekend, aged just 52. To his credit, the Conservative Leader of Winchester Council, George Beckett, gave a rather more appropriate reaction in his public statement:

Both councillors and staff of Winchester City Council have been sad to hear of the sudden death of Cllr Sue Fitzgerald. After living in her ward of Wickham for over 20 years she took a keen interest in local issues, particularly those related to the environment. She had only recently been elected to the Council and I’m sure all councillors were looking forward to working more closely with her during her term in office. We would like to pass our sympathies and condolences on to the family.