Row flares up over charity breast cancer campaign

From the archive, first published Friday 21st Dec 2007.

A HAMPSHIRE politician is facing claims that she hijacked a breast cancer campaign and broke the law by promising to make charitable donations if people filled in a questionnaire for her.

Caroline Nokes, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Romsey and Southampton North, sent out thousands of questionnaires with the Breast Cancer Care branding and a pink- coloured Tory party logo.

In return for filling in the leaflet - coloured bright pink to fit with the charity's "In the Pink" awareness campaign - Mrs Nokes promised to make an undisclosed donation to the charity.

But the leaflet has been attacked for making no mention of cancer care and instead asking people if they would join or vote for the Conservatives.

Now opposition Hampshire MPs are claiming Mrs Nokes has broken the law which states charities cannot associate themselves with political parties.

Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead, whose constituents in Swaythling and parts of Coxford in Southampton will come under the Romsey and Southampton North boundary next year, said: "It was a beautifully produced leaflet, but it had nothing to do with Breast Cancer Care and is very misleading.

"Professionally, the questionnaire seems to have been completely let down by the disastrous decision to apparently hijack Breast Cancer Care's appeal for the survey."

The Labour MP said he expected the Conservatives to issue a full explanation over the leaflet and an apology from Mrs Nokes for misleading constituents.

Liberal Democrat MP for Romsey Sandra Gidley said many people had contacted her about the issue and she hoped Mrs Nokes would apologise.

She said: "I think it was misguided and I hope she apologises to anyone that may have been upset by it. Our main hope is that the charity has not been damaged by this."

There are suggestions that people who filled in the questionnaire could apply for compensation as it failed to comply with the Data Protection Act.

Breast Cancer Care has since said the questionnaire was printed by mistake and it has been forced to reject any donations made by Mrs Nokes, who is also a Test Valley Borough Councillor for Romsey Extra.

Breast Cancer Care spokeswoman Nicky Scott said permission should not have been granted for the survey to be printed.

She added: "We cannot and do not align ourselves with political parties or candidates. It was a mistake by a junior member of staff who didn't actually see the survey before it was printed."

Mrs Nokes was unavailable for comment.