Anti-Conservative graffiti has appeared overnight on hoardings around The Grand in Leigh Broadway, as election campaigns intensify.
The vandalism sparked strong reactions from politicians and locals alike. Labour’s Southend West candidate, Aston Line, was quick to condemn the graffiti, firmly distancing his campaign from any involvement.
“I am genuinely appalled that this graffiti has appeared,” he stated. “I can say categorically that this is nothing to do with us. Our campaign champions a message of hope.
“The Tories may be my political opponents, but I cannot condemn strongly enough acts of vandalism and intimidation like this. We ourselves have already had some of our garden stake boards vandalised and stolen.
“I call on all parties to run a clean and courteous campaign.”
The graffiti wasn’t the only politically charged message appearing around Southend. Stickers advocating for Brexit to be cancelled also popped up in various locations, further highlighting the deep political divisions still lingering from the 2016 referendum.
Local residents had mixed reactions to the graffiti. Some were outraged, seeing it as an attack on democratic values, while others viewed it as an expression of frustration from those who feel unheard.
Pat Francis, a long-time Leigh resident, expressed her anger: “It makes me so angry when this sort of thing happens. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and to vote for whoever they want to. It just goes to show what sort of mentality is prevalent in the UK today.”
Maria Garner took a different perspective, acknowledging the frustration that might have led to the act. “I dislike graffiti, but it is important to understand why people resort to it. They resort to it out of a fear of not being heard and a fear of the future. People are SCARED. They have every right to be, with the prospect of what could happen to us if we don’t have change.”
As the election campaign continues to gather momentum, the appearance of politically charged messages—whether in the form of graffiti or stickers—serves as a stark reminder of the passion, division, and urgency felt by many in the Southend community.