Dirty trick allegations mar Birmingham
Allegations and counter-allegations of misconduct and illegal practice have marred voting in Birmingham.
As Britain’s second biggest city Birmingham is seen as a key urban battleground for all parties.
However in the lead up to the local and European elections extraordinary stories of bribes, bullying and confrontation have come out of the borough.
John Hemmings, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Birmingham, has said that the party may consider taking legal action.
The Liberal Democrats had been following Labour Party activists in the lead up to the elections collecting a “dossier” of alleged misdemeanours.
The dispute revolves primarily around postal votes, of which a record 70,000 were requested in Birmingham.
The Birmingham Post reports that a Labour Party candidate was discovered by police at midnight will “bags full” of completed postal ballot papers.
Though it is not illegal for a candidate to handle properly completed papers the practise is not recommended.
He denies any misdeed, and claims that the candidates met in the car to avoid Liberal Democrat intimidation.
Councillor Hemming, told the paper that he was in contact with the police over the issue and “We are still owed an explanation as to why a Labour councillor found it necessary to take bag-loads of postal ballots to a deserted industrial estate at midnight. I think that is a question that needs to be answered.”
Labour council leader Sir Albert Bore said that all allegations surrounding irregularities in postal voting would be fully investigated.
He also added he would be asking the Government to consider whether the widespread use of postal votes in future elections is appropriate.
These are by no means the first allegations to rise out of the campaign.
There have been reports of fighting between rival candidates, postmen surrounded in a contest for local ballot papers and post boxes set alight.
