Postal Vote fraud trial begins (Birmingham Liberal Democrats)

Birmingham Liberal Democrats <info@birminghamlibdems.org.uk>

Postal Vote fraud trial begins

February 21, 2005 6:00 PM

The first full Election Court for thirty years yesterday begun sitting to looking in the allegations that six Labour Councillors and their agents committed postal vote fraud in last year's local elections.

The two wards that are being contesting are the Bordesley Green and Aston wards. The trial, in Birmingham, opened yesterday, shortly after it opened the three Bordesley Green Councillors walked out and said they would not represent themselves after the national Labour Party withdrew its legal funding.

Nicola Davies, Parliamentary Spokesperson for Birmingham Hodge Hill said "I am glad this allegations have finally come to Court, part of Bordeseley Green ward is in Hodge Hill constituency and I will be keeping a keen eye on developments. I am very concerned about the misuse of postal votes, so much so that during the by-election I issued a Code of Conduct for all my supporters to follow, that Code still stands and will in the General Election later this year."

The court has the power to order a re-run of the election and criminal proceedings could follow. Richard Mawrey, QC, the commissioner presiding over the hearings, gave warning that if the allegations were proved, then the system of postal voting was open to serious abuse and needed to be rectified in time for the election. He said "We are not dealing with a frolic by a number of hotheads. The allegation is that there is a pattern throughout the Birmingham area of impropriety in relation to at least the election of Labour Party candidates. If the allegations are correct, then the current system of postal voting is open to abuse and serious fraud. If that's the case, then it's clearly essential that this is known well before the possible general election."