Since when has being born and bred in Reading been a negative thing?

Some of you may have noticed the Conservatives, namely Cllr Ballsdon and Cllr Willis, trying to stir up trouble on blogs and Twitter about a completely harmless statement on a piece of Reading Labour literature.  They are saying it's racist because the candidate's statement says she was born and bred in Reading and one of us.  Read it here for yourself:

'Eileen McElligott is a mother of three who was born and bred in Reading. She grew up on Dee Road Estate, gained a degree in Zoology and returned to live in Reading. Eileen now works in the Pharmaceutical Industry and is a School Governor. She will fight for us here in Church Ward because she is one of us.'

How is this in anyway racist?  Being born and bred in Reading is something to be proud of surely?  It is after all, in my opinion, an excellent town to live in.  Sadly I cannot claim to be Reading born and bred - just bred after my first few years being in Derbyshire.  If I was, I would be more than happy to proclaim it.

As for the statement 'one of us'.  Again, how is this racist?  Who is defining 'us'?  Reading Labour are defining it as a resident, a family, someone being effected by the harsh cuts brought about by national government, a worker, a parent, a Labour member.

To be honest their cry of racism smacks of desperation from a party torn apart with internal rows.