Chamali Fernando, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Cambridge, has been receiving many criticism on her suggestions of people suffering from mental illnesses wearing wristbands to indicate the nature of their condition. This remark was made at a hustings, hosted by Keep Our NHS Public, a campaign organisation associated with the People's Assembly Against Austerity.
Reports suggests that her intended meaning behind the suggestions was so that professionals, such as lawyers would be able to treat clients differently based on their wristband colour.
Fernando has been receiving many death threats and violent threats have been left on her voicemail. She was also abhorred by the Cambridge University Conservative Association (CUCA) over her remarks.
Chamali Fernando is to sue Dr Julian Huppert, from the Liberal Democrats for the comments he made around the wristband controversy. Dr Huppert had said, “professionals like lawyers would be able to treat clients differently based on their wristband colour.”
A recording and transcript of the hustings incorrectly described Fernando as mentioning the wristbands in connection with early diagnosis. However, the transcription of her wristband comments is accurate.
A spokesperson for Chamali Fernando’s campaign expressed that this could give the misconstrued belief that she was advocating marking out the mentally ill from the earliest possible stage and inscribing sufferers of mental illness.
Huppert stated that he does not "recall the exact words" and that Fernando had not mentioned that such a bracelet or wristband would, in her overture, be compulsory. The transcript of the hustings by Cambridge News reveals that Fernando did not state that mentally ill people “ought” or “should” wear wristbands.
According to reports, Huppert has privately apologised to Fernando, however, he has refused to give a public apology, stating that they were “fair comments”.
A letter from Chamali Fernando's solicitors read, “Given [his] refusal to make a public apology, our client [Fernando] has no option but to instruct our firm to pursue legal proceedings against [Huppert].”
