Police Investigate Claims of Vote Malpractice in H&F
Conservatives claim some residents 'tricked into applying for a postal vote'
An investigation has been launched by Scotland Yard over allegations of postal vote malpractices in Hammersmith & Fulham, according to the Evening Standard.
The Standard says, ahead of the local elections on 3 May, 11 cases in Hammersmith and Fulham have been reported to police by the Conservatives, including some in which residents say they have been issued with postal votes they did not request.
Police officers have reportedly spoken to some local people who believe they were tricked into applying for a postal vote.
One woman thought that she was signing a petition about Charing Cross Hospital, says the newspaper.
The allegations come amid what Conservatives say is a surge in people applying for postal votes in some marginal wards in the Labour-run borough. They claim there have been huge increases in postal vote registration on several estates where Labour is strong.
Figures compiled by the Tories show postal vote registrations in Town ward, which has three Conservative councillors, rose from 1,268 before last year’s general election to 2,005 this month. More specifically, in the Town ward 'C' polling district which runs from Fulham Road towards Putney Bridge, the number jumped from 307 in March 2017 to 758 this month.
Conservatives say that on four estates in this district there have been big rises in postal vote registrations to 50% of the electorate in Pulton Place, 42% in Fulham Court, and 35%on Barclay Close and Lancaster Court.
Greg Hands, Tory MP for Chelsea and Fulham, said: "Some people were signed up by the Labour Party and are telling us that they had not knowingly requested one [a postal vote] and do not want one."
The London Labour Party rejected accusations of wrongdoing against its campaign teams. A spokesman said: "This is a completely baseless allegation and a desperate, politically-motivated attempt by a Tory MP to use the police to grab a headline during a closely-fought election campaign."
A council spokesman said: "There are currently no concerns about the validity of any votes in Hammersmith and Fulham."
The Standard added that Scotland Yard had been contacted for a comment.
April 25, 2018
