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Scrap postal voting except for those with genuine need, says MP Scrap postal voting except for those with genuine need, says MP
(about 3 hours later)
Postal voting is marred by "real fraud" and should be drastically scaled back, a Conservative MP has said. Postal voting is marred by "real fraud" and should be drastically scaled back, Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson has said.
Andrew Stephenson made the suggestion in an interview with BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme, which also heard similar calls from Judge Richard Mawrey and returning officer Ray Morgan. His call was echoed by Judge Richard Mawrey who said he had not seen an election since 2006 that was "totally fair and honest".
Mr Morgan said he had not seen an election since 2006 that was "totally fair and honest". Electoral Commission chair Jenny Watson said it would not be "proportionate" to end postal voting altogether.
But the government said it had no plans to abolish the current system. The government also said it had no plans to abolish the current system.
Since 2001, anyone on the electoral roll has been able to apply for a postal ballot.Since 2001, anyone on the electoral roll has been able to apply for a postal ballot.
But, because voting takes place in people's homes, there is an increased risk of fraud and in January the Electoral Commission said it was particularly concerned about 16 council areas in England. In January the Electoral Commission said it was particularly concerned about 16 council areas in England.
In some of those areas, the BBC has heard allegations that political activists are pressuring families into voting for their candidate, or taking ballot papers away to fill them in, which is illegal.In some of those areas, the BBC has heard allegations that political activists are pressuring families into voting for their candidate, or taking ballot papers away to fill them in, which is illegal.
'Wide open to fraud''Wide open to fraud'
File on 4 spoke to a man in Derby who said his mother had her postal vote cast for her by activists who turned up at her house and pressurised her into letting them fill in her ballot paper. BBC Radio 4's File on 4 spoke to a man in Derby who said his mother had her postal vote cast for her by activists who turned up at her house and pressurised her into letting them fill in her ballot paper.
"Campaigners came to the house and they asked my mum to vote for them and actually my mum, not being able to read English, she didn't know where to put the cross, so one of the people put the cross in the box for her and said, 'There you go now you can just sign it and we will take it off you.'"Campaigners came to the house and they asked my mum to vote for them and actually my mum, not being able to read English, she didn't know where to put the cross, so one of the people put the cross in the box for her and said, 'There you go now you can just sign it and we will take it off you.'
"Your votes are supposed to be anonymous but when people come to your house and are literally doing it for you that is not you voting is it? That is them voting for you and voting for themselves.""Your votes are supposed to be anonymous but when people come to your house and are literally doing it for you that is not you voting is it? That is them voting for you and voting for themselves."
Mr Stephenson, the MP for Pendle, which is one of the 16 areas of concern, said: "I want us to scrap on-demand postal voting and go back to the system that we had before this got loosened up. Mr Stephenson, the MP for Pendle, which is one of the 16 areas of concern, said: "There is real fraud going on.
"Now when you actually look in the UK and look at what's going on in Pendle... there is real fraud going on.
"The government should really look at this issue and really look at going back to only allowing postal votes to people who have a genuine need for a postal vote."The government should really look at this issue and really look at going back to only allowing postal votes to people who have a genuine need for a postal vote.
"Everybody else should turn up at the polling station, like they always used to have to, in order to cast their vote"."Everybody else should turn up at the polling station, like they always used to have to, in order to cast their vote".
Judge Mawrey, who tries corruption cases, also told the programme that - with few exceptions - voters should go to polling stations. Judge Mawrey, who tries corruption cases, agreed: "Postal voting on demand, however many safeguards you build into it, is wide open to fraud.
"Postal voting on demand, however many safeguards you build into it, is wide open to fraud," he said.
"And it's open to fraud on a scale that will make election rigging a possibility and indeed in some areas a probability.""And it's open to fraud on a scale that will make election rigging a possibility and indeed in some areas a probability."
'Small number of cases' He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that postal voting had not increased turnout or helped particularly vulnerable groups who might find voting difficult to do it more easily.
Returning officer Mr Morgan, who is also the chief executive of Woking Borough Council, said: "I don't think any election that I've personally officiated over since 2006 has been totally fair and honest." "All it actually does is create a convenience for members of the public who would rather fill in something in their own home."
Returning officer Ray Morgan, who is also the chief executive of Woking Borough Council, said: "I don't think any election that I've personally officiated over since 2006 has been totally fair and honest."
The government is introducing Individual Electoral Registration from June this year, which ministers say will help stamp out some abuses.The government is introducing Individual Electoral Registration from June this year, which ministers say will help stamp out some abuses.
It will mean that anyone who wants a postal vote will have to apply individually and prove their identity.It will mean that anyone who wants a postal vote will have to apply individually and prove their identity.
At the moment there are no identity checks and households can be registered for multiple votes.At the moment there are no identity checks and households can be registered for multiple votes.
But Ms Watson told the Today programme she wanted political parties to go further and sign up to a strengthened code of conduct which the Electoral Commission would regulate.
"We are talking about the behaviour of unscrupulous campaigners who act in an improper way to put pressure on people. It is that behaviour that needs to be tackled," she said.
"You can't punish voters for the behaviour of unscrupulous campaigners and that's what abolishing postal voting on demand would do."
Cabinet Office minister Greg Clark said he recognised the problem of fraud but did not think postal voting on demand should be scrapped.Cabinet Office minister Greg Clark said he recognised the problem of fraud but did not think postal voting on demand should be scrapped.
"Postal voting has proved very important in making sure that people can access the franchise," he said. "Postal voting has proved very important in making sure that people can access the franchise.
"I think it particularly important that a relatively small number of cases of abuse, which need to be addressed and clamped down very firmly, don't prevent other people - the vast majority of people - using it in a law-abiding way.""I think it particularly important that a relatively small number of cases of abuse, which need to be addressed and clamped down very firmly, don't prevent other people - the vast majority of people - using it in a law-abiding way."
The full story will be broadcast on File on 4 on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 11 March at 20:00 GMT.The full story will be broadcast on File on 4 on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 11 March at 20:00 GMT.