THE Lib Dems in Warrington South could face a police investigation following allegations of electoral malpractice.
The Conservative agent Paul Kennedy, who is openly opposed to his party sharing administration of the borough council with the controlling Lib Dems, has issued a formal complaint and a police investigation could now be pending.
Conservative Party Regional Director Sue Gillett was seen talking to detectives and the Electoral Commission have been informed.
Labour candidate Nick Bent also carried out an attack on the Lib Dem’s campaign accusing Jo Crotty (pictured above) of a campaign of “lies.”
He said: “I use the word lies with caution but I feel so strongly about her misleading campaign and believe she has been rumbled by the voters.”
Meanwhile Coun Kennedy described the Lib Dem campaign as “disgraceful and dishonest,” in particular leaflets which declared that “Only Lib Dems can win here.”
The alleged Electoral Malpractice involves the Lib Dems displaying orange “ballot boxes” (pictured right) at local polling stations, urging voters to use them to return petitions to save Warrington Hospital from closure.
Tempers allegedly reached boiling point at one polling station in Lymm when a voter kicked one of the orange boxes out of the way only to be punched.
The Tories say the use of election material at polling stations is a breach of the rules.
But Lib Dem leader Ian Marks (pictured below) insisted his party had done nothing wrong, and had sought clearance from the acting returning officer, Chief Executive Diana Terris, before using the orange boxes to collect the petitions.
“This practice has been adopted elsewhere and is within the rules,” he said.
“It is inevitable that feelings have been running high when you have three parties fighting hard to win a seat.
“We have not been scaremongering about the hospital which is in a financial mess and have been campaigning to try and avoid future problems.”
Jo Crotty on the orange boxes at the centre of the controversy
4 Comments
"But Lib Dem leader Ian Marks insisted his party had done nothing wrong, and had sought clearance from the acting returning officer, Chief Executive Diana Terris, before using the orange boxes to collect the petitions.
"This practice has been adopted elsewhere and is within the rules," he said."
Councillor Marks is wrong, boxes have been used elsewhere ( Liverpool I understand) to collect Polling cards only. I would refer Councillor Marks to the letter and guidance notes issued by Mrs Terris on 14 April 2010.
The Liberal Democrats have been rumbled, yet again, in what has been a most undignified election campaign by them and their candidate in Warrington South.
I’m particularly disappointed that the Liberal Democrats chose to run such a negative campaign. The voters here in Warrington South are not mugs, and should not be treated as such. Spreading literature that misleads, undermines and downright lies in some cases is neither good for the town or for democracy in general.
It seems that the voters of this constituency did what David Cameron told them to do at the end of the first TV leaders’ debate, they chose “hope over fear”. In David Mowat we have a strong, energetic MP who has demonstrated in his long campaign for the seat (selected in March 2007) that he has the wide-range of skills necessary to serve in Parliament. I for one wish him the best of luck.
I agree with you Declan….. just glad we didn’t get the opportunist and serial seat chaser Grotty…… wonder where she will head for now?
I turned up at the Polling Station to find one of the orange boxes on the pavement outside, with the face of jo crotty on clear public view.
If this isnt an inducement to persuade a voter to vote Lib Dem then i dont know what is,