From dodgy dossiers to dodgy ballots...
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, has been re-elected with a reduced majority amid warnings of widespread electoral fraud in his Blackburn constituency.
At a public meeting in the town's cathedral, the Liberal Democrat and Conservative candidates accused the Foreign Secretary's supporters of rigging ballots to keep Labour in power.
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, has been re-elected with a reduced majority amid warnings of widespread electoral fraud in his Blackburn constituency.
At a public meeting in the town's cathedral, the Liberal Democrat and Conservative candidates accused the Foreign Secretary's supporters of rigging ballots to keep Labour in power.
The usually safe Labour seat, where a quarter of the constituents are Muslim, made a party list of "vulnerable" seats under threat from anti-war sentiment. As a result, campaigning among the town's seven parliamentary candidates became increasingly fevered, with rumours of "dirty tricks" and postal vote fraud growing daily.
Imtiaz Ameen, 33, the Conservative candidate, told Mr Straw at the meeting: "I cannot believe you say there is no fraud. The worst case of postal vote fraud has been carried out in your own back yard by members of your party."
Tony Melia, 44, the Liberal Democrat candidate, visited Mr Straw in his constituency home last weekend to lodge a complaint that Labour Party councillors were collecting unopened postal ballots.
Postal vote applications in the constituency have risen dramatically since 2001, from 7,603 to 20,351. Fears of ballot rigging were fuelled after Muhammed Hussain, 61, a former Blackburn Labour councillor, was jailed for collecting blank ballot papers in the 2002 local elections.
Imtiaz Ameen, 33, the Conservative candidate, told Mr Straw at the meeting: "I cannot believe you say there is no fraud. The worst case of postal vote fraud has been carried out in your own back yard by members of your party."
Tony Melia, 44, the Liberal Democrat candidate, visited Mr Straw in his constituency home last weekend to lodge a complaint that Labour Party councillors were collecting unopened postal ballots.
Postal vote applications in the constituency have risen dramatically since 2001, from 7,603 to 20,351. Fears of ballot rigging were fuelled after Muhammed Hussain, 61, a former Blackburn Labour councillor, was jailed for collecting blank ballot papers in the 2002 local elections.
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War Criminals Rig Elections
06.05.2005 21:00
Brown's in charge
BILL JACOBS AND IAN SWANSON
CHANCELLOR Gordon Brown emerged from yesterday’s General Election as the real British Prime Minister.
Although Tony Blair was celebrating a historic and unprecedented third successive Labour victory, it was clear that much of his power had ebbed to his Downing Street neighbour.
Blair declared winner in Sedgefield amidst reports of fraud
20,000 missing votes heighten Birmingham postal fraud fears
Postal vote to be probed
BEGG SEAT POLL PROBE
Postal voting fraud is widespread, Straw told
Police ordered to stop investigating vote rigging in Blair's constituency
‘Taint’ in polls to mother of parliament
There are charges that many votes have been stolen. Political parties are set to demand that suspect results should be overturned.
John Humphrys claims his postal vote was stolen
By Louisa McLennan, Times Online
The radio journalist John Humphrys and television presenter Mariella Frostrup have complained that they were prevented from voting yesterday due to alleged failures with the postal voting system.
Mr Humphrys, the presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, revealed that he had gone to the polling station, only to be told that he couldn’t vote because someone had already applied for a postal vote in his name.
Voting fraud exposed in Bethnal Green and Bow
New postal vote safeguards urged
Postal votes were requested by around five million voters
Election watchdogs have demanded new safeguards to prevent postal voting fraud which they say has undermined confidence in the electoral system.
Of course, they'll pretend to be concerned about the NEXT election, and leave this one be ...
I Would Too, If I Had Committed WAR CRIMES
Whre is info from?
06.05.2005 23:12
We've just come back from the Craig Murray campaign. Thanks v much for posting this. Few quick questions: first thing is, who in the campaign knows about this? Second is, can you say what your sources are (for the Lib dem & Tory quotes?) Last thing: can you give some dates? When was the meeting, and are you referring to the hustings last Sunday?
Thanks again, sorry to be picky but it would be useful to have more background!
tabitha
my postal vote never showed up!!!
07.05.2005 14:46
tommy_woodnut
e-mail:
tom_w@boardermail.com
This SHAM of DEMOCRACY left NO CHOICE
07.05.2005 23:05
WAR ( truth of course )
GOVERNMENT & ROYALTY ( reality check )
sham.manchesterpaul.net
Paul
e-mail:
hmmm@manchesterpaul.net
Homepage:
http://sham.manchesterpaul.net
Sorry, but.....
09.05.2005 00:34
I know it is a great inconvience!
If you were going to vote for the Labour party to support more illegal wars, more attacks on the working class, ethnic minorites, and asylumn seekers then we are TERRIBLY SORRY!
VOTE LABOUR, MAKE THE RICH RICHER, THE POOR POORER!
LABOUR! SUPPORTING THE RIGHTS OF THE MIDDLE CLASS!
LABOUR! MAKING IMPERIALISM STRONGER!
LABOUR! MAKING THE WORKING CLASS SUFFER!
Tony, Gordon and Jack,