A PICTURE of West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin posing next to Malvern’s Sir Edward Elgar statue draped with an EU ‘Stronger In’ campaign t-shirt has sparked controversy after social media users described it as ‘disrespectful’.
The ‘cheeky’ picture of the MP and the sculpture of the famous composer on Belle Vue Terrace was tweeted out by ‘Remain’ campaigners in the West Midlands when Mrs Baldwin visited Malvern last week to demonstrate her EU ‘In’ stance ahead of the upcoming referendum.
A tweet from the West Midlands Stronger In campaign’s Twitter feed, which also includes the picture, reads: “@HBaldwinMP with #Malvern’s famous son Elgar campaigning to remain in the EU #StrongerIN #Elgar4Remain.”
But on what appears to be an identical picture posted on BBC Hereford and Worcester’s Facebook page, the image was slammed by several people who believed it was wrong for Elgar – one of Malvern’s most famous residents – to be used as a political weapon.
One comment said: “What gives Harriett Baldwin and campaigners the right to presume that Sir Edward Elgar would have voted to stay in. I find this very distasteful.”
A fellow Facebook user posted: “I haven’t decided either way but this is just tacky and disrespectful.”
And another said: “Whether you’re in or out, this is disrespectful.”
The picture was also criticised by Anti EU campaigners.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of Vote Leave, said: “Harriett Baldwin would be better served properly engaging with the debate rather than trying to co-opt composers to her campaign from beyond the grave.
“Sadly the remain campaign has been highly negative and unwilling to spell out the risks of remain, but trying to claim the backing of those long since departed is just getting silly.”
Asked for her views on the reaction to the photo, Mrs Baldwin said: “My Stronger In campaign colleagues found a cheeky way of highlighting how much today’s musicians and today’s music industry value remaining in the EU.
“I have set out my own views on the importance for constituents in West Worcestershire of the local jobs and the stronger local economy that we have because we have access to the Single Market.”
Malvern residents will be able to vote whether Britain should remain in the EU or not when the referendum is held on Thursday, June 23.
It has been announced Mrs Baldwin will hold a Q&A session about the EU referendum at Malvern Cube on Tuesday, June 21 at 7pm.
However ‘Brexit’ campaigner and Ledbury MP Bill Wiggin is to also host a informative session at Ledbury Community Centre on Friday at 7pm.
