Ex-minister 'tried to stir up racial tension' in election

A FORMER immigration minister stooped to foment racial and religious divisions as part of a desperate attempt to change an election result, a court heard.

A specially convened election court was told Labour MP Phil Woolas and his campaign team set out to "galvanise the white Sun vote" against Liberal Democrat candidate Elwyn Watkins.

They decided to set out to "make the white folk angry" by depicting an alleged campaign by Muslims to "take Phil out", in a high-risk strategy described in their own words as "shit or bust", it was alleged.

Mr Watkins has mounted a rare legal challenge to the General Election result in Oldham East and Saddleworth, which Mr Woolas won by just 103 votes following two recounts.