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UKIP to complain over 'voter fraud' after failing to win by-election UKIP to complain over 'voter fraud' after failing to win by-election
(about 1 hour later)
UKIP is to make a formal complaint about what it claims was evidence of electoral fraud in the Oldham West and Royton by-election.UKIP is to make a formal complaint about what it claims was evidence of electoral fraud in the Oldham West and Royton by-election.
The party, which came second to Labour, claims people had turned up at polling stations with "bundles of postal votes" and in some areas people had voted almost exclusively voted for Labour.The party, which came second to Labour, claims people had turned up at polling stations with "bundles of postal votes" and in some areas people had voted almost exclusively voted for Labour.
Leader Nigel Farage said there "were things that should not be happening".Leader Nigel Farage said there "were things that should not be happening".
But Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said it sounded like "sour grapes".But Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson said it sounded like "sour grapes".
Mr Farage said Oldham's Asian population had voted for Labour in large numbers, even though, he claimed some did not speak English but were signed up for postal votes.Mr Farage said Oldham's Asian population had voted for Labour in large numbers, even though, he claimed some did not speak English but were signed up for postal votes.
He claimed to have seen ballot boxes in which "99% of the votes were for Labour" and "this does not seem to be consistent with modern liberal democracy".He claimed to have seen ballot boxes in which "99% of the votes were for Labour" and "this does not seem to be consistent with modern liberal democracy".
Prior to the by-election, there had been suggestions that UKIP could run Labour close but, in the event, Labour candidate Jim McMahon romped to victory with a 62% share of the vote, polling 10,722 more votes than his closest rival.Prior to the by-election, there had been suggestions that UKIP could run Labour close but, in the event, Labour candidate Jim McMahon romped to victory with a 62% share of the vote, polling 10,722 more votes than his closest rival.
But UKIP is questioning the way the poll was conducted and, in particular, the large number of postal votes that were submitted. It is estimated that one in four ballots cast were postal votes.But UKIP is questioning the way the poll was conducted and, in particular, the large number of postal votes that were submitted. It is estimated that one in four ballots cast were postal votes.
Mr Farage said that while Oldham West and Royton was a "safe" Labour seat, the result was still the "most shocking" that he had witnessed in all his years of campaigning.Mr Farage said that while Oldham West and Royton was a "safe" Labour seat, the result was still the "most shocking" that he had witnessed in all his years of campaigning.
"Some very odd things happened. There was a 15% increase in the number of postal votes yesterday and stories of practices that should not be happening in a modern democracy.""Some very odd things happened. There was a 15% increase in the number of postal votes yesterday and stories of practices that should not be happening in a modern democracy."
'Process dead''Process dead'
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the party had seen some ballot boxes where 99% of the votes were for Labour and this "does not seem to be consistent with modern liberal democracy."He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the party had seen some ballot boxes where 99% of the votes were for Labour and this "does not seem to be consistent with modern liberal democracy."
"We will file a formal complaint against the abuses that our people saw yesterday," he said. "Some of the things we've seen before in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets I have reason to believe were happening in Oldham yesterday"."We will file a formal complaint against the abuses that our people saw yesterday," he said. "Some of the things we've seen before in Birmingham and Tower Hamlets I have reason to believe were happening in Oldham yesterday".
Some of those who voted for Labour, he suggested, could not speak English and had not heard of UKIP, the Conservatives "or even Jeremy Corbyn".Some of those who voted for Labour, he suggested, could not speak English and had not heard of UKIP, the Conservatives "or even Jeremy Corbyn".
He claimed Labour was at an advantage because it ran the local council and therefore "controlled council housing, social services and deep and very strong links with the mosques and other Churches".He claimed Labour was at an advantage because it ran the local council and therefore "controlled council housing, social services and deep and very strong links with the mosques and other Churches".
He added: "It means that in some of these seats where people don't speak English but they are signed up for postal votes effectively the electoral process is now dead".He added: "It means that in some of these seats where people don't speak English but they are signed up for postal votes effectively the electoral process is now dead".
While acknowledging this would not have changed the result, he said Labour would have had a "massively reduced" majority.While acknowledging this would not have changed the result, he said Labour would have had a "massively reduced" majority.
'Integrity concerns'
But Mr Watson said that UKIP - who claimed that the election was a referendum on Jeremy Corbyn's leadership - were "crying over spilt milk".But Mr Watson said that UKIP - who claimed that the election was a referendum on Jeremy Corbyn's leadership - were "crying over spilt milk".
"It seems like sour grapes to me. If he has got evidence of that, he should have told the police immediately. I have talked to my organisers and they have got no knowledge of that. If you look at the scale of the result it was pretty decisive.""It seems like sour grapes to me. If he has got evidence of that, he should have told the police immediately. I have talked to my organisers and they have got no knowledge of that. If you look at the scale of the result it was pretty decisive."
The Metropolitan Police is investigating 16 allegations of electoral malpractice in relation to this year's mayoral election in Tower Hamlets, relating to voter of registration and the improper distribution of election literature in the east London borough.
The election was re-run after incumbent Lutfur Rahman was convicted of electoral fraud during the 2014 poll and removed from office.
Conservative MP Stuart Jackson said he shared Mr Farage's concerns about "postal voting on demand" and would be raising the issue of the "integrity" of postal voting in a debate in Parliament next week.
He tweeted: "Timing unfortunate but Farage is right on "community" postal voting. Time to scrap postal votes on demand."
In a report earlier this year, the Electoral Commission named Oldham West and Royton as one of the constituencies alleged to have a "greater risk" of voter fraud.In a report earlier this year, the Electoral Commission named Oldham West and Royton as one of the constituencies alleged to have a "greater risk" of voter fraud.
The watchdog has said the move to individual electoral registration, where people have to sign up to vote themselves and provide proof of identity, rather than being registered as a member of a household, will further reduce the risk of fraud.
But it says it does not rule out seeking a change in the law to make it an offence for campaigners to handle any postal voting materials.