Withington Rape Sparks Political Row

A LETTER leaked to Student Direct written by Withington MP John Leech to the Students' Union has sparked a political row.

The letter outlined the comments of a constituent who had approached Mr Leech after being asked by the police if she had heard anything on the night a University of Manchester student was raped in Withington.

It read: "[My constituent] explained that shouts and screams late at night is the norm in this part of Withington and therefore when people hear noise late at night there [sic] inclined to turn over and go back to sleep."

Leech concluded: "I am sure [students] would not want to be responsible for compromising the safety of there [sic] fellow students and residents."

Elizabeth Somerville, UMSU Women's Officer, received the letter last week and claimed the MP was accusing noisy students for being part of the reason locals don't report crime.

Somerville highlighted her qualms with the letter in front of a crowd of hundreds at last week's NUS Reclaim the Night march.

In her statement she said: "[I] think that particularly as the MP of a student heavy area that it is totally inexcusable to exploit the terrifying rape of a young woman to attempt to score political points against students."

However, John Leech, MP for Withington, was adamant that he was not "anti-student and this was made very clear in the letter".

He was also keen to make it clear that he felt he was obliged to contact those responsible for student welfare with his constituents concerns. He said: "There are a small minority of people, and not just students, who cause noise and distress to neighbours.

"I was asked by this constituent to raise the issue. I didn't give an opinion I just gave the views of my constituent to the Women's Officer who chose, instead of sharing her views with me, to share it with her friends at the Labour party, and frankly I think that is an abuse of her position.

"I think it's despicable for her to make that accusation when I was merely bringing to her attention something that a constituent had asked me to."

Rival Labour candidate Lucy Powell commented at the rally on North Campus last week: "If that's from a member of the Labour party I think I'll bring it up with them."

Ms Powell later elaborated on her feelings regarding the letter: "When I heard Elizabeth speak on the night of the march I had no idea who the letter was from, and I was appalled by the lack of sensitivity that someone could even put that in writing.

"The idea that somehow the answer to a serious incident like that is to ask students to be quiet I think totally and utterly misses the point."

Also on campus last week was NUS President Gemma Tumelty. On hearing about the letter she commented: "Once again politicians are using the notion of "studentification" of an area as a scapegoat for all problems, like sexual violence against women, that existed before the students lived there."