City MP tweets about 'twisted hate-filled republicans' over racecourse plans

A MESSAGE posted on internet site Twitter by Lincoln MP Karl McCartney has strongly criticised people who oppose plans to bring back horse racing to the West Common.

The comments came after the Echo reported on the Lincoln Commons Advisory Panel's decision to reject plans for the racecourse and recommend the City of Lincoln Council's executive does not grant an initial lease.

Talking about the issue, Mr McCartney tweeted: "It says a lot that Labour councillors and anti brigade try to judge everyone's motives by their own standards and twisted hate-filled republican logic."

The note has left residents and the 600 people who signed a petition against a racecourse wondering whether Mr McCartney is listening to them.

Jane Kirman, 48, of Hewson Road, voted Conservative in the General Election. She said: "He should listen to the people who put him into power."

The Echo asked Mr McCartney how he thought people might feel. He said: "I would never insult the 600 people who signed the petition as they have rightly wanted to have their say, but the premise of the information in the petition is incorrect.

"The problem has been the way the proposals have been wrongly portrayed by those who willfully have done so, aided and abetted by certain media.

"Yesterday's story in the Echo started with the line 'plans to bring back racing on Lincoln's West Common'. This is not the case because the plans put forward are about looking at whether it is viable to do so and do not say it should definitely go ahead at all.

"This has been about The Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company Ltd and Lincoln Racecourse Trust being allowed to investigate if racing is viable."

The company, of which Mr McCartney is a director, is asking the council for a heads of term lease – a document which effectively leaves the door open.

It is with this lease secured that the company would start to work up a masterplan.

But the Commons Advisory Panel agreed that if the company wanted to create a masterplan, it should go ahead without the lease, which the company wants to demonstrate the authority is interested in the project.

The authority will decide later in the year whether to accept the recommendation.

Mr McCartney later edited his Twitter feed to read: "It says a lot that some Labour councillors and a tiny majority of anti brigade try to judge anyone's motives by their own standards."