Postal Vote fraud trial begins

6.00.00pm GMT Mon 21st Feb 2005

The first full Election Court for thirty years today began sitting to looking in the allegations that six Labour Councillors and their agents committed postal vote fraud in last year's local elections.

The two wards that are being contested are the Bordesley Green and Aston wards of Birmingham City Council. Shortly after the trial opened in Birmingham yesterday, the three Bordesley Green Councillors walked out and said they would not represent themselves after the national Labour Party withdrew its legal funding.

The court has the power to order a re-run of the election and criminal proceedings could follow. Richard Mawrey QC, the commissioner presiding over the hearings, gave warning that if the allegations were proved, then the system of postal voting was open to serious abuse and needed to be rectified in time for the election. He said "We are not dealing with a frolic by a number of hotheads. The allegation is that there is a pattern throughout the Birmingham area of impropriety in relation to at least the election of Labour Party candidates. If the allegations are correct, then the current system of postal voting is open to abuse and serious fraud. If that's the case, then it's clearly essential that this is known well before the possible general election."