IPSWICH Labour candidate Chris Mole has moved to dissociate himself from a parliamentary colleague who has used an image of Suffolk strangler Steve Wright on an election leaflet.

Birmingham Labour candidate Roger Godsiff – who has been an MP since 1992 – put out a leaflet in his Hall Green constituency hitting out at his Liberal Democrat opponent for wanting to give the vote to convicted prisoners.

Mr Godsiff’s leaflet showed images of Wright alongside Paedophile Vanessa George and other notorious prisoners pointing out that the LibDems wanted to give them a vote.

The leaflet provoked fury from the Liberal Democrats who accused Mr Godsiff of using dirty tactics in the election campaign.

It was withdrawn following an intervention from Labour’s election head office – and Mr Mole said he would not have used such a tactic in Ipswich.

He said: “It sounds like rather a stark way of pushing home a point. It’s not something I would have published and it has quickly been withdrawn.

“The only reference I have made to the killings in Ipswich has been the importance of DNA evidence in catching Wright – and why it is important that DNA evidence is left on file.”

Ipswich Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate Mark Dyson condemned Labour for allowing the publication of the leaflet.

He said: “This is utterly insensitive and irresponsible. The allegation is totally without foundation, and to even raise it has the potential to upset a lot of people in Ipswich.

“I would like to set the record straight right now. There is absolutely no circumstance under which the Lib Dems would want Steven Wright or any other convicted murderer to vote. End of story.”