MP accused of 'shameless promotion' in row over who can take credit for saving Hayling Island tip

The charged was levelled at him by the Labour Havant borough councillor Mark Coates, who represents Hayling East, who had launched a petition and campaign to save the under-threat tip. But Havant MP said it was the second time he had lobbied to save the tip and that he has worked closely with officials to find a way to save it.

The row comes after Hampshire County Council decided to keep the tip open, overturning proposals to close 12 sites in the county as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

Afterwards, Alan Mak claimed victory in a statement saying he had spearheaded the effort to prevent the tip’s closure - working with county councillor Lance Quantrill who represents Hayling Island. He had said: “County Councillor Lance Quantrill and I have worked hard on this issue since spring and we are grateful for Islanders’ support.”

But the Havant borough councillor Mark Coates pointed to a change.org petition he had launched which had gathered over 4,100 signatures in a bid to save the site.

Cllr Coates took to social media and described Mr Mak’s claims of victory as a “feeble and disingenuous attempt to pretend he led the campaign,” adding, “the community should take note of his shameless and empty self-promotion.”

In response, the Conservative MP defended his role, stating he had been working to keep the tip open since the consultation began in January, including submitting a formal response and meeting with the county council leader.

He added: “In 2016 I also led the successful campaign to keep Hayling tip open when it was under threat before – long before Cllr Coates arrived on the scene.

“He should be explaining why his Labour Government is removing the Winter Fuel Payment from 20,000 local pensioners instead of hurling insults at me.”

Cllr Coates responded by reiterating his stance that the Labour government “should reinstate the Winter Fuel Allowance for the 40 per cent of old age pensioners”.

He encouraged the community to challenge what he described as Mr Mak’s pattern of “hijacking” local campaigns, citing past examples including Maria Gay’s postbox campaign and Alli Wiltshire’s 2016 Hayling Tip campaign.

“His interventions as MP are actually very welcome, but his disingenuous claims that disrespectfully subtract hard-working local activists are not.

“Campaigning should not be a case of ‘hands off’ but ‘joining hands’ – and I welcome the day Mr Mak is willing to do that. It would certainly help him avoid embarrassing moments like this.”