The cheat is in the post

Desperation appears to be creeping in during the final stages of the General Election campaign, with reports that police are investigating up to 50 allegations of 'serious' voting fraud, mostly - what a surprise - enabled by a surge in postal voting.

The Guardian has the full story:

"Accusations range from political activists putting pressure on people to mark their party's box on the postal vote form, to phantom voters being registered by candidates and their supporters to farm votes. The problems have emerged before most postal votes have been returned."

The Graun' lists some areas:

"In London the Metropolitan police have received 28 complaints across 12 boroughs and launched five investigations – one in Ealing and four in Tower Hamlets, which has a history of problems with electoral fraud"

"West Yorkshire police have received 19 complaints and launched five investigations across Bradford and Calderdale, where two arrests have been made."

A little analysis of the areas listed reveals an .. ahem .. interesting correlation. A correlation that the Guardian, bless 'em, appears to have somehow totally fucking missed.

'Ealing' - Ealing Southall - is a Labour seat;

'Tower Hamlets' could be one of two seats: Poplar & Canning, which is Labour seat, or Bethnal Green which Labour are just desperately keen to pinch back from Gorgeous George Galloway;

'Bradford'? Well, that could be one or more of three: Bradford North, which is Labour, Bradford West, which is .. err .. Labour and Bradford South which is .. yeah .. Labour;

And as for 'Calderdale' - Calder Valley - you may be astonished to learn this, but that seat is held by ... Labour.

Can you see how these seats might have come to be held by Labour? Can you see how they might manage to retain them in Thursday's election? Does, in short, a pattern begin to emerge?

Of course it fucking does.

.

9 comments:

Mr Crocus said...

For some balance, Tories in Slough went to jail for postal vote fraud in 2008 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/7302809.stm). The Tory leader at the time (Diana Coad) is now standing for Parliament. She's not doing very well.

Martin S said...

Oh. One against... 50? Yep. Balance is required.

Chris said...

BTW, did that wandering election register from Glenrothes ever show up?

Or should we proles just keep our mouths shut and stop asking awkward questions?

Mr Crocus said...

Yep, fraid so. Cheating is human. I don't like Labour any more than you do.

JohnRS said...

As Stalin said: It's not who votes that counts, it's who counts the votes.

Looks like NuLieBore have learnt their lessons well.

Anonymous said...

There is another factor which is common when one talks of postal voting fraud and the conservative Councilor story refered to earlier shows its cross party as well. Daren't speak its name though, oh no.

JuliaM said...

"A little analysis of the areas listed reveals an .. ahem .. interesting correlation."

I'm shocked, shocked...

JuliaM said...

"There is another factor which is common when one talks of postal voting fraud and the conservative Councilor story refered to earlier shows its cross party as well."

Indeed...

JuliaM said...

Oh, and in case anyone is thinking of actually doing some investigating into this phenomenon, better take some friends with you.

Big friends.

Just in case.