Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party is to table a petition calling for an investigation into allegations of impropriety in this month’s Peterborough by-election.
The move follows reports of irregularities in the use of postal voting in the contest, which was won by Labour’s Lisa Forbes by a wafer-thin majority of 683 over the Brexit Party.
Mr Farage urged an end to the postal votes system in its current form, as party chairman Richard Tice said there had been numerous “rumours” including of “vote-rigging”.
We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.
From
15p
€0.18
$0.18
USD 0.27
a day, more exclusives, analysis and extras.
Cambridgeshire Police, however, have said no offences have been revealed in respect to one allegation of bribery and two relating to postal votes during its ongoing investigation.
In a London press conference on Monday, Mr Tice claimed there was evidence that a “convicted electoral fraudster” had acted as an election agent for the Labour Party.
1/14 Peterborough By Election
Independent candidate Bobby Elmo Smith watches the by-election count on June 07, 2019 in Peterborough, England. Brexit Party candidate Mike Greene is looking to become the Brexit Partys first MP to Westminster in the Peterborough by-election, which was triggered following the removal of former Labour MP Fiona Onasanya by a recall petition.
Getty
2/14 Peterborough By Election 2
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage in Newborough in Peterborough prior to votes being counted in the Peterborough by-election.
PA
3/14 Peterborough By Election 3
Lisa Forbes of the Labour Party accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
4/14 Peterborough By Election 4
Votes are counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election
AFP/Getty Images
5/14 Peterborough By Election 5
Votes are counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election.
AFP/Getty Images
6/14 Peterborough By Election 6
Votes are counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election.
AFP/Getty Images
7/14 Peterborough By Election 7
Lisa Forbes of the Labour Party accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
8/14 Peterborough By Election 8
Lisa Forbes of the Labour Party accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
9/14 Peterborough By Election 9
Labour Party faithful cheer as Lisa Forbes accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
10/14 Peterborough By Election 10
Labour Party faithful cheer as Lisa Forbes accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
11/14 Peterborough By Election 11
Alan “Howling Laud” Hope of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party (L) and party faithful arrive at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
12/14 Peterborough By Election 12
Alan “Howling Laud” Hope of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party (C) and party faithful arrive at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
13/14 Peterborough By Election 13
Mike Greene (C) of the Brexit Party confers with party members at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election.
AFP/Getty Images
14/14 Peterborough By Election 14
By-election votes are counted at the KingsGate Centre in Peterborough.
REUTERS
1/14 Peterborough By Election
Independent candidate Bobby Elmo Smith watches the by-election count on June 07, 2019 in Peterborough, England. Brexit Party candidate Mike Greene is looking to become the Brexit Partys first MP to Westminster in the Peterborough by-election, which was triggered following the removal of former Labour MP Fiona Onasanya by a recall petition.
Getty
2/14 Peterborough By Election 2
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage in Newborough in Peterborough prior to votes being counted in the Peterborough by-election.
PA
3/14 Peterborough By Election 3
Lisa Forbes of the Labour Party accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
4/14 Peterborough By Election 4
Votes are counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election
AFP/Getty Images
5/14 Peterborough By Election 5
Votes are counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election.
AFP/Getty Images
6/14 Peterborough By Election 6
Votes are counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election.
AFP/Getty Images
7/14 Peterborough By Election 7
Lisa Forbes of the Labour Party accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
8/14 Peterborough By Election 8
Lisa Forbes of the Labour Party accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
9/14 Peterborough By Election 9
Labour Party faithful cheer as Lisa Forbes accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
10/14 Peterborough By Election 10
Labour Party faithful cheer as Lisa Forbes accepts her win for the local seat after all votes are in and counted at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
11/14 Peterborough By Election 11
Alan “Howling Laud” Hope of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party (L) and party faithful arrive at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
12/14 Peterborough By Election 12
Alan “Howling Laud” Hope of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party (C) and party faithful arrive at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough.
AFP/Getty Images
13/14 Peterborough By Election 13
Mike Greene (C) of the Brexit Party confers with party members at the Kingsgate Conference Centre in Peterborough, England on June 6, 2019. – A local by-election was triggered when Peterborough’s former MP Fiona Onasanya was sacked by her constituents in the first successful re-call petition prompting a by-election.
AFP/Getty Images
14/14 Peterborough By Election 14
By-election votes are counted at the KingsGate Centre in Peterborough.
REUTERS
Mr Tice called for “answers” and said his party would lodge a petition under the Representation of the People Act 1983 later this week.
A party spokesman said that the petition would go in by the deadline of Thursday – 21 days after the 6 June vote.
It will request an investigation by an election court under the authority of a High Court judge, which has the power to declare the result void.
Mr Farage said that the postal voting system introduced in 2001 was “wide open to corruption, to intimidation, to bribery, to abuse on a whole number of levels”
He continued: “If you say it’s sour grapes, you can say it, but actually it is time for change and my ambition would be that by the next general election to get rid of the current postal vote system.”
Wheelchair users and overseas service personnel are among those Mr Farage suggested should keep the postal vote.
Cambridgeshire Police continue to investigate two allegations – one of a breach of the privacy of the vote and one of the burning of ballots.
But the force has announced that no offences were found over allegations of bribery relating to postal votes.
