Three members of the Oxford University Conservative Association (OUCA) were accused of putting a Conservative leaflet over a campaign sign in the garden of Cllr Ruth Smith, Councillor on West Oxfordshire District Council, during a campaigning expedition to Witney on Saturday 27 April.
Smith, who is also Leader of Witney Town Council, 15 miles west of Oxford, posted an account of the events to Facebook and X on Monday.
As part of an expedition to deliver leaflets organised by West Oxfordshire Conservatives last weekend, three members of OUCA were accused of leaving a conservative leaflet over a campaign poster in Smith’s private garden.
One of OUCA’s senior officers, who was removed and later reinstated as OUCA president last Trinity term, was identified by Smith as “the lad who defaced our sign and took a while in conversation to concede any wrongdoing.”
Another one of the group was identified as a junior officer in OUCA.
Smith alleged that the senior officer “danced about our Labour sign, holding the leaflet against it [before folding] it over our sign and [leaving] it there.”
She told Cherwell: “[My husband and I] knew they were not campaigning acceptably” and “[my husband] felt the contempt and mockery quite keenly.”
President Hugo Roma Wilson told Cherwell on behalf of OUCA: “We were profoundly disappointed to hear of our members’ conduct during this campaigning expedition. We expect our members to conduct themselves appropriately and respectfully at all times. The account we’ve heard is a direct breach of our rules, and in no way representative of OUCA’s values. We do not approve of their conduct, we condemn it, and they will be investigated accordingly by our Disciplinary Committee. On behalf of the Association, I apologise for the distress and disturbance caused to Ms. Smith and Witney residents, and can only reassure them that we will take steps to prevent this happening again.”
Local Oxfordshire elections will be held Thursday for City Council councillors, a Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley Police Area, and parish council councillors.
The senior officer accused by Smith declined to make a comment.
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