elections
Telegraph Columnist Says Voter ID Issue ‘Just Bonkers’ After his Wife was Told to Return With Marriage Certificate Before She Could Vote
Voting in the local elections was a lottery for some across the country on Thursday due to ID checks at polling booths, with even the former Prime Minister caught out.
Boris Johnson – who introduced the mandatory requirement when he was in office – was turned away after showing up without his ID. Meanwhile, Conservative MP Tom Hunt had to apply for an emergency proxy vote.
As Byline Times reported, Adam Driver, a decorated former Army officer who served in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland, was also turned away as his veteran photo ID was deemed "unacceptable". Another voter, Matt Dix, from Leeds, couldn't vote because a volunteer did not recognise him from his ID as he had since grown a beard, this newspaper reported.
It appears, having spoken to numerous voters across the country, that voter ID legislation is being interpreted differently at different polling stations.
Another person to have raised concerns – in a story indicative of the problems around the introduction of mandatory voter ID – is Telegraph columnist Jim White.
The writer's wife, Arabella, had trouble voting because her maiden name, Warner, appears on some documents – such as her driving licence – but her married name, White, appears on others, including her voter registration form. Mrs Warner was told at Oxford City Centre that her ID wasn’t acceptable and that she could not vote unless she returned with her marriage certificate.
Mr White told Byline Times: “So you’ve got to go and dig your marriage certificate out! If this is the voter fraud that they’re trying to stop, it seems very bizarre and I thought that this must be happening a lot.
"There must be loads of women who use their maiden name for some things and their married name for others. I know for my wife it was a pain in the arse at [our children's] school, and for medical stuff, having a different name from her children – so she would use her married name for that.
"I just think that nobody thought this through. It just seems bonkers.”
Mrs Warner added: "The chap was very nice and, when he'd finished asking the questions, suggested that I should go to the town hall and get my name changed on the voter registration. He said I should do it quickly because 'there's going to be another election soon'."
She told Byline Times that, when she returned to vote later in the day, she spoke with the same official who informed her that he had “raised the issue with (the) main election organiser who was popping into polling stations seeing if there were any problems".
Mrs Warner added: "When he had told them what had happened, they said ‘another one’."
Married names caused friction for another voter down the road in Banbury, but she was allowed to vote without producing a marriage certificate – again, suggesting that the rules around voter ID are being interpreted differently according to location.
Charlotte, who declined to give her surname, had to answer some questions but was then allowed to vote. She explained what happened to Byline Times, saying: “I had my polling card in my maiden, name not my married name, and I showed them my ID in my married name, and they said that was fine."
Tellers at Orchard Community Centre polling station told this newspaper that they had to see a likeness between the ID and the voter in case of a discrepancy between the married and maiden name – which was in contrast to the New Inn Hall Street polling station in Oxford which insisted that Mrs Warner produce a marriage certificate.
Another problem highlighted on the day was that of voters who had sent their ID off to complete paperwork.
Frankie, a teacher due to start a new job and undergoing a DBS check, had no other form of photo ID as she did not have her passport to hand. She was unable to vote.
“I understand the reasoning [behind voter ID] in terms of fraudulent votes, but statically speaking the number of fraudulent votes is so low considering most people don’t feel strongly enough to turn out and, actually, it does just feel like the people’s voice is being squashed in any way possible," she told Byline Times.
‘Undemocratic’ and Possible ‘Gerrymandering’: Voters Express Anger After First Past the Post Introduced for Mayoral and PCC Elections
It’s a change that happened largely under the radar. But a subtle shift to the voting system for mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections in England and Wales has drawn widespread criticism from voters across the country – many of whom were affected for the first time this Thursday.
The move has effectively abolished voters’ ability to cast a second preference for mayor or PCC – which was previously used as a ‘back up’ or insurance vote if people’s first choice lacked majority support.
The Government’s change from the so-called Supplementary Vote system to Westminster-style First Past the Post (FPTP) came as part of the controversial Elections Act 2022, which contained the provisions enforcing mandatory photo ID for voters. It was also accused of being a “power grab” bill, curtailing the independence of the Electoral Commission.
In practice, the voting system change means that a lot of voters felt they couldn’t opt for their preferred choice on Thursday, instead voting 'tactically’, perhaps for what they deemed a lesser evil.
Speaking to Byline Times’ VoteWatch survey, many voters expressed frustration and dissatisfaction, emphasising that the new system limited their ability to vote for their preferred candidate without wasting their vote.
Here are voices from across England who have voiced their concerns.
Trevor Hyett, 80, from Wandsworth in south-west London, said the shift was “shameful”: "My first choice remained [the same], but I would have used the second option sadly not available to me."
Trevor Hyett feels he is now denied a real choice under First Past the Post
In Worthing, Susan Zasikowski, 72, said she was advised to vote tactically for Labour, which she then did – emphasising the strategic considerations now necessary for many voters.
In Worcestershire, Mary Emery expressed her tactical approach in the PCC election, saying that she felt she couldn’t “vote for my favoured candidate”.
David Glyn Jones in Newark shared a similar sentiment: "I changed my vote to vote tactically rather than my first choice party."
And Steven Pruner in Islington shifted to tactical voting under the new system: “I had to vote strategically to ensure we did not get any Tories in office."
Chris Bell from Kingston put it simply: "I was forced to vote Labour."
In Basingstoke and Deane, Audrey Boucher said her plan now was to do “anything to get Tory out – [the] local independent candidate was only 67 votes behind last time".
And Vicki Evans, 55, from Kidderminster, expressed frustration over the imposition of FPTP, stating that she could "only vote tactically" due to the change.
Vicki Evans is one of hundreds of voters to tell Byline Times that they felt cheated by the change
Simon Morrison-Peacock, from Stockton, who voted in the Tees Valley mayoral election, was disheartened, saying: "I would have voted for another candidate but [it would have been] a wasted vote because realistically only two candidates can win."
Simon Higginson, from London, highlighted the missed opportunity to show support for smaller parties, stating: "I would have liked to have voted for a party unlikely to win but to show there was a groundswell of support for it, knowing that my vote would then be transferred to a candidate more likely to win."
Peter Haydon, 59, from Southwark, voiced disappointment over not being able to enter a second preference – a sentiment echoed by Patrick Hall, 59, from Powys in Wales, who mentioned that he also voted tactically whereas previously he would have given a different candidate his first preference.
From Islington, Keith Grey condemned the shift as "further skulduggery from an increasingly undemocratic Government". He chose "the best option to keep the candidate I do not want out".
Similarly, Mark Smithies from Westminster, was also compelled to vote tactically, stating: "Yes, had to vote Labour, would have had Green as first preference given the choice."
Gabriel Schucan, from Hackney South, criticised the change for not getting enough attention, saying: "I was denied my 'vote for the heart' and had to go straight to the 'vote for the brain'." He found it "quite shocking" that Westminster "interferes in local issues like that just to give themselves a better chance".
Fran in Bromley pointed out that the shift meant that she “didn’t have the opportunity to add second or third preferences, for the Greens and Count Binface… [I] can’t risk [Conservative] Susan Hill being elected [as Mayor of London]”.
In Croydon, John Edwards also felt he was denied a vote for Count Binface or a small party.
And Eric Worrall from Cheltenham said he would have preferred to vote for his party’s candidate and not tactically.
David Jones from Bedford relied on a website, Stop the Tories, to determine his tactical vote: "I’m totally opposed to the change. First Past the Post needs urgent reform."
David Brown, a Make Votes Matter activist from Haringey in London, voted tactically for Labour's incumbent London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who would have been his second preference under the previous system.
In Surrey, Dave Beynon also noted tactical voting was now more of a consideration for him: "I researched who is most likely to beat the incumbent and voted for them instead of voting for the preferred candidate."
Charlotte Eleanor Earney from Waltham Forest likewise felt compelled to vote for a party she no longer supported, to prevent another party she liked even less from winning.
Andrew Hayes from Oldham expressed nostalgia for the previous system: "I do remember voting a second preference last time and would have liked to be able to again."
Allan Williams from Hackney criticised the change as "very undemocratic” and possibly “gerrymandering” by the Government.
Read More VoteWatch Coverage
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‘I Had to Argue for My Right to Vote’: Voters Report Being Denied a Say in Local Elections Due to Strict Photo ID Law
This Thursday’s local elections in England saw millions of people face the new photo ID requirements for the first time.
With even Boris Johnson turned away and one Conservative MP relying on an emergency proxy vote due to lacking the correct ID, Byline Times has heard from dozens of ordinary voters who also had major problems securing their right to vote on the day.
Several reported incidents highlighted confusion, frustration, and alleged voter suppression due to the need for strict - and varyingly enforced - forms of identification.
This included at least one case an army veteran being turned away, despite carrying an official MOD issued veterans card.
Here are some of the other accounts from individuals who experienced these issues firsthand, drawing on this outlet's survey of voters. Or in some cases, rejected voters.
Matt Dix, from Leeds, says he was turned away because a volunteer did not recognize him from his ID photo due to his current beard, again leaving him unable to vote.
Dix, 36, told Byline Times: "I think it's an awful policy but hadn't exactly expected to be the victim of it myself. I'm sure cases like mine are few and far between, but they're also relying on the subjective opinion of a volunteer who does this one day a year, not as part of their day-to-day role...
"There is an emergency proxy option but only if your ID is lost or damaged - mine was not. So there was no possible way of voting without an alternative photo ID (which I don't have) after that initial refusal...No support was given, referral to a helpline, someone to contact etc. Just a no."
'Turned Away Over My Beard'. Photo: Matt Dix
In Westminster, where the ID law was drafted, Luciana Custodio faced delays while staff at her polling station figured out the procedure for accepting her postal vote in person. The process included searching for the correct forms and confirming the signing requirements, which she says took over 20 minutes.
And Banseka Kayembe, Director and Founder of the site Naked Politics told Byline Times her experience suggested some marginalised groups could be particularly hard hit by the ID rules.
"I brought my provisional license and the staff at the polling station at first said it wasn't a valid form of ID because it has a previous address and not my current local one. I had to argue my case somewhat with them: stating that my ID should just prove I am who I say I am, rather than that I live at a particular address.
"They looked up the rules and allowed me to vote in the end. They were not unpleasant by any means, but it struck me that being questioned like that, and perhaps the difficulty for polling staff even being able to understand and implement the rules could well be a barrier for others, especially those most marginalised/less knowledgeable about the political system."
Others had issues with their photo being questioned. Charlotte Eleanor Earney in Waltham Forest had trouble when a staff member doubted her resemblance to her ID - though she eventually received her ballot papers after some scrutiny.
Charlotte Earney, 30, was challenged over the likeness on her photo ID
Graeme Clement in Cornwall presented multiple forms of ID only to find that each was initially rejected. His driving licence finally allowed him to vote, though he's concerned about how the process is being enforced. Also trying to vote in Cornwall was Paul Clark, who realised he’d forgotten his photo ID when he arrived at the polling station. When he presented a local council-issued pass, it wasn't accepted, meaning he was unable to vote.
Kieran Walsh in Wyre (Lancashire) was initially rejected a vote when he presented his Irish passport card, which staff mistakenly believed was invalid. After clerks consulted the Electoral Commission's website and proved its validity, he was allowed to vote. "If I hadn't been assertive I would have left the polling station having been denied my vote," he said.
Meanwhile, Mark Thurstain in Bath and North East Somerset faced long queues to vote, while the polling clerk struggled with technology and incorrectly stated he was not on the electoral roll, despite his wife being listed at the same address.
Many more respondents to Byline Times’ VoteWatch survey saw others turned away or reported witnessing problems at the ballot box over the new rules.
More Polling Station Disruption
Kate Edmonds, in East Sussex witnessed an elderly woman at the polling station who had forgotten her ID and was subsequently turned away. “[She] said she felt stupid for forgetting,” Edmonds said.
At his polling station in Monmouthshire, Keith Mortimer (no relation) asked staff about the number of people turned away due to lack of ID and was told that four people had been denied by 11:30am. He asked if they were genuine voters, to which the officer said yes.
Gabrielle Jackson, from Teignbridge, Devon, observed that four people ahead of her in the queue had forgotten or were unaware of the need for ID. “The message regarding photo ID is not getting through,” she told Byline Times.
Natasha Grange, from Exeter City Council, claims she encountered a woman who voted despite not having received a polling card. “She was allowed to vote anyway,” Grange says.
And Paul Jerome, from Havant, reported that his wife was turned away when she showed the digital version of her senior citizen railcard as identification. David Willis’ wife in Hart was also turned away. She told the polling officer that this was "voter suppression" and they agreed, Jerome said.
In Leeds, Matt Rogers says he witnessed two of the four people voting alongside him being turned away due to a lack of identification.
And Anne Underhill, a previous poll clerk from Cheltenham says she was instructed to send people without ID home before they entered the polling station. After raising concerns with the polling station inspector, the presiding officers apparently were told to stop doing this.
For many of these voters, the incidents sparked distress and concern over how the new voter ID laws were being enforced at various polling stations - with would-be voters facing delays and, in some cases, disenfranchisement altogether.
Now that several senior Conservatives have faced similar issues, they’ll be hoping that ministers sit up and take note.
Spotted something strange or face issues voting in the local elections? Fill in our VoteWatch survey. If you have a political story or tip-off, email josiah@bylinetimes.com.
Labour’s ‘Punishment’ of Jamie Driscoll May Hand Him Victory in the North-East
Anger and apathy defined what could be a bruising day for Labour in its traditional north-east stronghold.
With Conservative ratings at rock-bottom across the rest of the country, Labour may have had reason to be hopeful of a stroll to victory in the region’s inaugural mayoral contest.
But as polls opened on Thursday morning, the party found itself on shaky ground, with independent challenger Jamie Driscoll hailing a “people-powered political earthquake”, which has reportedly left him neck-and-neck with the official candidate of his former party.
Driscoll, the incumbent North of Tyne Mayor – the rump authority formed when four of the north-east’s seven local authorities rejected a previous devolution deal – was barred from Labour's selection process to head the revamped body, which will now take in the entire region from the Tees to the Tweed, after he shared a platform with filmmaker Ken Loach.
Labour opted to endorse Kim McGuinness, a former Newcastle city councillor and current Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
But in Driscoll’s Newcastle base at least, there were plenty of voters who said they planned to shun the party in the mayoral contest over the handling of the row.
Liz O’Donnell, in the city’s leafy Gosforth, said Driscoll had been “shamefully treated by the Labour Party”.
She added: “I haven’t voted for the Labour candidate for that reason. I think he has been an excellent North of Tyne Mayor, Kim McGuinness has been a bit of a shadow figure and I feel we need someone who will stand up for the region.”
Alex Slack, right, with wife Ciara and dog Ruby at the polling station. Photo: James Harrison
Just down the road in South Gosforth, the same sentiment was echoed by Alex Slack, who headed to vote with wife Ciara and dog Ruby, declaring an “amazing” devolution deal had been “marred by the politics and Labour’s treatment of Jamie Driscoll”.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Wendy Taylor, a consultant at the nearby Freeman Hospital, summed up the contest as it stood, saying: “A lot of people thought Jamie Driscoll didn’t have a chance... but that looks different now.”
PCC Who?
While there has been plenty of interest in whether or not McGuinness will fall flat, especially given the campaign cash lavished on front page adverts in the local press, less thought has been given to who will replace her as one of the region’s three PCCs.
Northumbria had a strong start to the PCC regime with the election of Dame Vera Baird, a former Labour MP who came to prominence in the 1980s, defending striker miners who clashed with police at the Battle of Orgreave, in South Yorkshire.
But voters have been less impressed with the list of candidates this time around.
Imogen Mould, who graduated from Newcastle University last year, voting in Gateshead, on the south bank of the Tyne, admitted she “didn’t really know who the PCC candidates were” before polling day, except that “the Labour candidate for mayor used to be the PCC”.
She added: “I’ve found it hard to find information about different candidates’ policies, especially for the PCC contest. I just want to know what they’re going to do.”
Emily Robb and Charlotte Hick, right, at St. Hilda's Church, Jesmond, polling station. Photo: James Harrison
Students were also disappointed not to know more about the PCC election.
Emily Rob, a politics student at Newcastle University, admitted that she was “a bit confused when it came to the PCC election”.
“I’ve not had much campaigning come my way about it,” she said, “but as a student it affects you, because you go out a lot and you want to know what they [the police and PCC] are doing. We had more stuff about the mayoral election come through.”
No Love for Voter ID
Many voters also had their first experience of mandatory voter ID. Voter Liz O’Donnell told Byline Times: “I think it [voter ID rules] is politically motivated by the Government, because they know many people who might not vote for them might not have the right ID.
“There were hardly any cases of electoral fraud picked up, it’s just an obstacle to people voting.”
Liz O’Donnell believes making voter ID mandatory is a "politically motivated" decision by the Government. Photo: James Harrison
Jess Hepburn added she didn’t agree with the policy, saying: “I think it would make sense if there was a Government enforced ID, like other countries have."
"I don’t understand why it was necessary, certainly in areas like this – was there a lot of fraud? It’s not something I’m aware of,” Sue Shilling added.
Levi Croom, 26 said voter ID “leaves a bad taste in the mouth” through excluding people who lack the right identification.
Southern Weak Spot
Meanwhile, Jamie Discoll’s apparent surge in the polls – the latest putting him roughly neck-and-neck with Labour – has at least partly been driven by an active grassroots operation, with activists continuing to canvas in the city centre – particularly near Haymarket Metro Station, close to two university campuses and Newcastle’s main shopping street. Campaigners for other candidates were less evident.
But campaigning has taken different shapes in other areas. Driscoll is much less known south of the Tyne and such was the confidence in Sunderland, activists had reportedly been ferried down to Bishop Auckland, in the south of County Durham, to help shore up McGuinness's chances.
Regaining Bishop Auckland is understood to be a key target for Labour at the next general election, particularly following news incumbent Conservative MP Dehenna Davison, who helped chisel the seat out of the so-called ‘Red Wall’ in 2019, is due to step down.
“Jamie Driscoll doesn't mean anything to anyone here,” said Phil Tye, chairman of Sunderland City Council’s Labour Group.
But Antony Mullen, leader of Sunderland’s embattled Conservatives, painted a different picture of local politics: “The local elections are demonstrating the gravitational pull of Jamie Driscoll’s radicalism and Reform’s radical right position.
"The only posters in windows that I’ve seen this year are Driscoll’s – and that is exclusively south of the Tyne.
“The centre of politics has created a state of apathy that is causing people to stay at home, particularly Conservatives.”
Meanwhile, in Heworth, just along the river from Gateshead, automotive industry worker Lee Scorey echoed the views which have scared the Conservatives, and which Labour thought they had finally left behind.
“At the moment, there’s no one worth voting for – Reform UK is the only way forward, the others are just a waste of space,” he said. “There’s no way I would ever vote Labour for anything, I can’t trust them on anything. It’s time for a change.”
Spotted something strange or face issues voting in the local elections? Fill in our VoteWatch survey. If you have a political story or tip-off, email josiah@bylinetimes.com.
Ex-Army Officer Who Served in Afghanistan ‘Blocked from Ballot Box’ After Veteran ID Rejected
A decorated former army officer who’s served in Afghanistan and Northern Ireland has been turned away from voting as his veteran photo ID card was refused as ‘unacceptable’.
Adam Diver, 48, a British Army veteran who was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) for his service over 27 years, has now spoken to Byline Times about his ordeal when trying to vote in Thursday’s local elections in Fleetwood, Lancashire.
The campaigner for veterans - and the first recorded person to swim from England to the Isle of Man - told this outlet: “I was going to vote after dropping the kids off at school…When I arrived at the polling station, there was no one there except the staff.
“One of the staff members said, “What’s this?” and I replied, “It’s my veterans ID.” She then said, “I’m not sure you can use this.””
Diver responded by explaining that he got the ID for his long-standing service in the military. The clerk called another member of station staff over, and “soon there were three of them looking at the card.”
All of them said “No”, Diver said, indicating that it couldn’t be used. “They were all apologetic, but it was a surreal and strange moment for me,” he told Byline Times.
“I felt deflated and invalidated for my service. I still feel rubbish about it, hours later. I served for 27 years, and the staff still said no. I thought if you could use it anywhere, you should be able to use it for voting.
“Initially, I felt angry, but now I just feel deflated. I’m concerned that other veterans might not know about these rules. I run veterans groups and have conversations with them every day,” he added.
Diver now works with veterans groups to support ex-soldiers. Photo credit: Adam Diver
Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer MP replied on X: “I am sorry about this. The legislation on acceptable forms of ID came out before the veterans ID cards started coming out in January this year. I will do all I can to change it before the next one.”
Writer James Bloodworth mocked Mercer’s reaction saying: “Help, we gerrymandered the wrong demographic.”
Diver added that whether he tries again to vote today depends on whether he has the time. “I served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I have a good conduct medal, and I’ve done my time. I would have thought that getting an ID for it meant you could use it.
“I didn’t know there was another process. I had swapped my army ID for the veterans card and assumed it was valid for voting. I left the army in 2019 or 2020 and never thought to question it.”
Former army major and now Liberal Democrat MP Richard Foord commented that the situation was “ludicrous” and “an example of the damage that the Conservatives’ botched voter ID rules are wreaking.”
“People who've served our country should not be barred from exercising their democratic right,” he said.
A Government spokesperson told Byline Times: “Our intention is for the new Veteran Card, which was rolled out in January 2024, to be added to the official list of recognised identification – and we are already consulting on this. Defence Identity cards for serving Armed Forces members are already accepted.
“The introduction of the requirement to show photographic identification for voting in person across Great Britain is in line with longstanding arrangements in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, and has been recommended by international election watchdogs, including the Electoral Commission."
The Government says the "vast majority" of voters have acceptable photo ID and can cast their vote. The Elections Act 2022 allows for ministers to add extra forms of recognised identification without needing to pass primary legislation, though the Government has rejected previous requests to expand the list to cover younger voters.
An Electoral Commission spokesperson responded to Adam Diver’s post on social media: “The Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card) is an accepted form of voter ID. The Ministry of Defence Form 100 is not an accepted form of voter ID. You can find the full list of accepted ID [online]...
“The Government chose forms of ID which met certain security requirements. Specific questions about why some ID is not accepted is a matter for the UK Government. We are responsible for raising awareness of this change to the law.”
Presenter and democracy campaigner Carol Vorderman said the situation was “sad” and added voter ID was a “Conservative scam.”
“Since 2019 (Inc GE) more Tory MPs [have been] kicked out of parliament due to "misdemeanours" than Voter ID fraud cases,” she said. There was only one proven case of so-called ‘personation’ fraud in the 2019 General Election. Eighteen MPs are currently suspended for a variety of alleged misdeeds.
Ipswich Conservative MP Tom Hunt was forced to beg for someone to cast a proxy vote on his behalf after forgetting his ID, according to a leaked WhatsApp. He told the Mirror: “I'm a dyspraxic MP…one of the top characteristics is unfortunately we just tend to lose things from time-to-time…when you've got a complicated life split between two places it makes it challenging."
MP and ex-Conservative cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has previously admitted voter ID was a “gerrymandering” scheme designed to help the Conservative party - while adding that it had potentially “backfired” due to older people sometimes lacking identification.
Spotted something strange or face issues voting in the local elections? Fill in our VoteWatch survey. If you have a political story or tip-off, email josiah@bylinetimes.com.
North Tyneside Conservatives ‘Impersonate Labour’ in Alleged Bid to ‘Confuse the Electorate’ Over Suspended Candidate
The election race in North Tyneside Council has been turbulent, as local elections go. Last week, the Labour Party suspended its candidate in the Preston Grange ward over anti-Israel social media posts calling it a “terrorist nation” and comparing the country to Nazi Germany over the killings in Gaza.
Labour pulled support for Abdur Razaq on 25 April, but it was too late to change the name on the ballot paper.
In response to the suspension, the local Conservative Party has circulated red leaflets that at first look appear to come from Labour, urging people not to vote for the party, and implying that it has disavowed candidates in a ward unrelated to Preston Grange.
Byline Times was made aware of a leaflet circulated in the Tynemouth ward following Razaq’s suspension, which was branded in the same shade of red as Labour leaflets and carried the headline “Important: Local Labour Candidate Suspended”.
The 'misleading' leaflet from local Conservatives. Photo: John Giddens/Byline Times
The leaflet informs the reader that Razaq, who is not named and referred to only as “a local Labour Party candidate”, has been suspended, but because it is a recent decision, he will still be on the ballot as a Labour candidate.
The leaflet does not mention that it is from the Conservative Party, but the fine print does state that it has been promoted by Liam Bones, the council’s Conservative Group Leader on behalf of three councillors in the Tynemouth ward.
Tom Bailey, a Labour candidate for Tynemouth, told Byline Times: “The Tories have been putting these leaflets through doors in a deliberate attempt to confuse the electorate, to suggest that one of us might not be an officially endorsed candidate”.
He added: “This is part of a long pattern of behaviour by this local party. In the past they might have used a slightly darker shade of red. This is the furthest they’ve gone in outright copying Labour branding.”
John Giddons, the Tynemouth resident who brought the leaflet to the attention of Byline Times, said: “They've done this before actually over the last few years... I think this is dirty campaigning and typical of the Tories around here."
Accusing the party of being “desperate”, he added: “My local WhatsApp community group, which tends to avoid politics, has been busy with all posts about the leaflet condemning it as dirty work by the Conservative candidates.”
The leaflet circulated in Tynemouth implored voters not to vote for Labour, telling them that the unnamed councillor would sit as an independent if they won the ward, giving it the appearance of a disavowal from the Labour Party.
The leaflet also claimed “there are several other local candidates on the ballot paper. Please do not support Labour in this election”.
The tactic of a leaflet that is not obviously from the Conservatives, telling voters to vote for any candidate apart from Labour in an attempt to split votes, has also been used by Susan Hall in the London Mayoral Election campaign.
In another 'dirty campaigning’ row, local Conservative councillor Liam Bones – who appears to be named on the latest leaflet as ‘L Bones’ – was formally censured by North Tyneside Council last year after claiming on his website that former Deputy Mayor, Jim Allan, was the “laziest Labour councillor” and that he had “received over £150,000 in allowances – but didn’t think it was necessary to attend the meetings he was being paid to go to”. The reality was that Mr Allan had stepped back from duties due to severe illness.
North Tyneside Conservative Party was approached for comment.
This is part of our VoteWatch election investigation series. Got a story tip? Contact votewatch24@bylinetimes.com
The Great Conservative Election Data-Trawl Continues
In mid-April, a number of allegations emerged about Conservative Party candidates collecting voter data ahead of the next election – potentially for campaigning purposes – without clearly indicating those intentions. Byline Times’ VoteWatch team has now clocked four more instances of dubious data harvesting.
In Chelmsford, Conservative MP Vicky Ford has sent constituents a “safety survey” asking for their priorities regarding local policing. The survey initially asks residents whether they have witnessed crime and what policies would make them “feel safe” in the constituency.
It goes on to solicit detailed personal information and requires contact details to submit. The survey asks about political leanings, even asking respondents to rank political parties and candidates.
In the tiny text at the bottom of the screen, it reads: “This question contains special category data relating to your political opinion that may be shared with the wider Conservative Party for the purposes of Democratic Engagement with your permission. Please only answer this question if you consent to the processing of this data and sharing it with Conservative Party. If you do not answer this question then this data will not be shared.”
Meanwhile, in South Shropshire, Stuart Anderson MP is running a similar survey initiative, this time about “sav[ing] our recycling centres”.
Again, Anderson’s survey begins innocuously with several questions about local policies. After a few pages, it asks constituents for detailed information about their party-political history and voting intentions, and the same notice as above – once again in tiny, barely legible, text – appears beneath it.
Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, has also sent local residents a survey.
In addition to local policy questions, it asks constituents: “How likely is it that you would vote for Alicia in the next election?” The only data notice respondents are given is a (very small) note about the local party’s “Data Protection and Privacy Policy”.
In Watford, Byline Times has seen a leaflet promoting Dean Russell MP that appears as a newspaper cover and uses a Labour-red colour scheme and font. A QR code on the page sends people to a questionable-looking survey in a pop-up window, asking voters about their “local policing priorities".
The survey requires detailed contact information to submit, and a tick-box at the bottom asks respondents to consent to their privacy policy and receive campaigning material from the Conservative Party (the only time the party is mentioned at all in the process).
Under current UK electoral law, it is difficult to assess the legality of such surveys.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has stated that, while targeted, data-driven social media advertising is widely used in British politics today, “it’s important that it is clear to people if they are being targeted” – and that “parties should make it clear that people’s personal information will be used to send them specific social media advertising”.
These cases may fall under a grey area. As in the first two examples, respondents are technically informed about how their data will be used, but that information is arguably not presented in a clear manner.
Digital issues can be particularly difficult to contend with under current election rules. The Law Commission has argued previously that the UK’s “Victorian era electoral laws are out-dated, confusing, and no longer fit for purpose”.
As of yet, it is unclear whether the ICO will be investigating any of these cases.
If you spot similar instances of questionable data harvesting, get in touch by emailing votewatch24@bylinetimes.com and consider reporting it to the ICO.
Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner Faces Calls to Quit Over Police Uniform Stunt and Social Media Posts
A prominent Police and Crime Commissioner faces a raft of complaints following a string of controversial social media posts and a potential breach of his own office’s rules against politicising the force.
A letter to CEO Chief Constable Andy Marsh of the College of Policing, by Andrew Martin of the local Luton Neighbourhood Watch and seen by Byline Times, details serious concerns regarding the conduct of PCC Festus Akinbusoye.
Last week it emerged that Mr Akinbusoye had been found by the Bedfordshire Police and Crime Panel (PCP), which monitors his conduct, to have failed to uphold the Nolan Principles, which are core ethical standards for public officials.
Mr Martin also implies he breached the Police Code of Ethics, over social media posts that included referring to a Bible verse (Psalm 59), apparently castigating those questioning his behaviour as “enemies”, and implying that Luton Neighbourhood Watch had misused public funds.
The letter to the College of Policing comes after the Conservative PCC recently halted funding to Luton Neighbourhood Watch (LNW), which Martin alleges was politically motivated as the group had been critical of him. Mr Akinbusoye denies the claims.
It also comes amid separate complaints over a likely breach of his own Bedfordshire police commissioner's office protocols, after his team published leaflets showing him in police uniform.
The outspoken crime commissioner is also a director of the College of Policing. Mr Martin argues this role is now untenable, despite the Conservative PCC being up for re-election this week.
The letter strongly urges Mr Akinbusoye to resign or to be removed from his directorship at the College of Policing, arguing: “The PCP Complaint Sub-Committee especially mentioned the failure of Mr Akinbusoye to uphold the principles of Leadership and Openness, it follows that Mr Akinbusoye is not qualified to offer views on improving leadership, improving standards in British Policing, developing leadership and driving consistency across UK police forces.”
PCC in Police Outfit
Byline Times recently revealed the Conservative Crime Commissioner had appeared in leaflets wearing a police uniform, apparently against his own OPCC protocol. It’s understood that the image was taken during a stint as a special constable before becoming PCC. However, police imagery is not meant to be used in election material due to the risk of making it look like a political endorsement.
The Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner has now responded to one of the complaints against this, saying that Mr Akinbusoye’s agent had accepted that the candidate should not have appeared in a police uniform in leaflets.
The OPCC representative said they had received several complaints about the campaign material, noting: “The OPCC discussed this matter with the candidate's agent…who accepts that the local protocol sets out that images of Bedfordshire Police officers should not be used in election material. The image is of the Conservative candidate, Festus Akinbusoye, who served as a Special Constable in Bedfordshire Police from 14 August 2020 to 15 October 2020.
“[The agent] accepts that the lack of caption explaining that the image is of Mr Akinbusoye when he was briefly a Special Constable was an oversight and could have been included on the election material.”
The agent reportedly pledged that the image subject to the complaints “would not be used in any new material that the campaign team did not already have printed”.
Warning Shot
The OPCC has also sent a message to candidates following the complaints, which reads as a sanction: “The purpose of issuing a protocol to cover the election campaign period is to ensure, as far as possible, a fair and level playing field for all candidates and for there to be no opportunity for any criticism of any candidate…
“Of particular note is the APCC guidance that states: ‘Police and Crime Commissioners will wish to be particularly careful around publicity photos which might risk involving the force in campaign and political material, whether seeking re-election themselves or supporting other PCC candidates.”
The commissioner’s office notes that “no objections were raised by any campaign team about the protocol” when they attended a briefing on the guidance.
“The OPCC and the [election returning officer] have received complaints about the use of police imagery in some of the election material for one of the candidates…The OPCC is considering whether the use of police imagery is in line with the local protocol and awaits a response from the NPCC in relation to its guidance.” No electoral law has been broken, but the guidance protocol appears to have breached.
Decision Will Come After Election
Professor Colin Talbott, professor of Governance at the University of Manchester and a Bedford resident, was one of those who complained to the OPCC. He told Byline Times: “They've kicked it into the long grass. The OPCC has passed it up to the National Police Chiefs' Council, and asked them to adjudicate on whether or not this is incorrect use of police immediately, and they've had no response.
“It is absolutely clear that it's a breach of the protocol. There's no question about it. He doesn't say: ‘well, here's an exemption if you happen to have been a police officer… He's put out another leaflet with this police imagery, and he's defended it on social media. He said there's nothing wrong with it.”
PCCs usually have some discretionary budget to fund non-police projects like Victim Support, Neighbourhood Watch schemes and so on. “He got into a dispute with his Luton Neighbourhood Watch, which is the largest one in the county, and he suspended their funding," Prof Talbott claimed.
Update 1st May 2024: A spokesperson for the Bedfordshire OPCC strongly refuted the claims, saying: "The complaint around the use of the imagery has been resolved...The use was found to have been in breach and advice given, this hasn’t been passed to NPCC to make a decision.
"Further, no funds have been suspended or withdrawn from Luton NHW. Following the overhaul of the way in which the OPCC provides funds to organisations in 2022, funding has continued to be allocated to the County’s Watch Schemes, which includes the three neighbourhood watch organisations that operate in the county, and also activity such as dog watch, horse watch and community speed watch.
"It is not true that any neighbourhood watch scheme has had their funding withdrawn. What is true, is that the process that we require the neighbourhood watch schemes to use to access the funding allocated to them has changed."
“I Totally Reject and Refute the Findings”
Festus Akinbusoye released a statement on social media last week, responding to the leaked findings of the police scrutiny sub-panel and suggesting it was politically motivated: “The complaints process is not yet completed, and it is quite shocking that the very well-known serial complainant has released the findings of the panel sub-committee before I have had the opportunity to respond to them, so I am limited as to what I can say for legal reasons.
“I can however say, I totally reject and refute the findings of the Panel and will be responding fully as part of the formal process in due course. It will be very concerning to any objective observer looking at this process, that an independent Police and Crime Panel decided to hold a sub-committee complaint hearing a day before the election regulated/restricted period commenced, despite receiving the complaint from the serial complainant nearly six weeks before the date, and then further enabled the outcome to be released by the serial complainant.
“The timing of the Panel's intervention is therefore deeply regrettable and raises several questions, among which there's absolutely no right of appeal against its decision by me. The Panel has thus taken on a position which even our Courts do not take.”
He added: “I remain fully focused on my positive campaign to be re-elected as Bedfordshire's Police and Crime Commissioner on Thursday 2nd May while continuing to fulfil all my duties on behalf of residents.”
A spokesperson for Bedfordshire’s Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) also noted that the findings of the sub-panel against Mr Akinbusoye were meant to remain confidential ahead of the process being finalised and a decision being taken on whether to publish it.
The OPCC spokesperson added: “The complaint process has not yet concluded so it would be inappropriate to make any comment until it has been finalised.”
Spotted something strange ahead of the local elections? If you have a political story or tip-off, email josiah@bylinetimes.com or the VoteWatch contact above.
Caroline Lucas Warns Labour Could Form ‘One-Term Government’ If Starmer Isn’t Bold
The Green Party’s only MP Caroline Lucas has told Byline Times she is confident several Green MPs will be elected in the next general election, saying that her party will put pressure on Keir Starmer’s Labour to be “bolder, braver and better”.
Speaking to this newspaper from Bristol ahead of Thursday’s local elections – where the Greens hope to gain a majority on the council for the first time – the outgoing Brighton Pavilion MP suggested that gains for the party will pressure Starmer to shift Labour's positioning to the left if it wins the next election.
“There will be a huge amount to do to press a Labour government to be bolder and braver and better because, right now, there is no sign that they are ready to rise to the real challenges of this moment,” Lucas said.
“This is a really, really critical time in terms of climate, in terms of nature, but also in terms of the broader democratic picture in this country. What's happened under the Conservatives is so dangerous."
“So many basic rights have been undermined – if not downright removed in some of the rights to strike, rights to peaceful protest, the independence of the Electoral Commission, even the right to vote with the requirement now for photo ID,” the former Green Party Leader added.
Green Party Co-Leader Carla Denyer, a parliamentary candidate for Bristol Central, hopes to oust Labour’s Thangam Debbonaire in the seat in the general election. This would be dramatically boosted by Greens taking control of the council, as the first administration since Labour Mayor Marvin Rees’ mayoral post was scrapped in a referendum.
The Greens currently have 24 councillors in Bristol to Labour’s 23.
“[We’re] aiming to have a new record number of councillors in Bristol," Denyer told Byline Times. "It's possible we will gain a majority. But it's a stretch target… I am pretty optimistic that we're going to make some substantial gains in these local elections.”
Green council candidate Rob Bryher said that the party's prospects were the "best I've seen it in 14 years of campaigning".
Speaking to this newspaper from a café in her Bishopston ward, the party's Bristol Council Leader, Emma Edwards, said the Greens would push for a 'workplace parking levy' in Bristol, should they gain control this week. The move would charge employers by the number of parking spaces they offer to go into a fund for boosting public transport. She noted its apparent success in Nottingham where it raised significant funds for transport improvements.
But her first main priority will be getting to grips with the new committee system, which she says will end the “toxic” partisan culture that had emerged between Labour and the Greens under mayor Marvin Rees.
Byline Times joined Edwards on the doorstep as she pushed to secure commitments from locals. Several voters told her that they would back the Greens in the local elections, but opt for Labour in the general election – a split-ticket situation that appears to be increasingly common.
The party has also pledged to lobby for powers to introduce rent controls in Bristol – a power local councils don’t currently have and which Labour appears to have rejected. Greens are also, like Labour, pushing to build more social housing.
Councillor Emma Edwards says that the Greens will try to work cooperatively with other parties under Bristol's new democratic set-up, after the powerful mayor post was scrapped. Photo: Josiah Mortimer (edited to remove registration plate)
However, the party has recently come under scrutiny over a number of local Green councillors opposing new housing developments (as well as some opposing new solar farms).
Denyer downplayed such examples, saying: “I'm aware that that's the Labour Party's attack line – it seems to be the best they can come up with, even though it's not very grounded in reality. There's been a handful of planning applications found across the whole country where Greens have voted against the planning application and usually when you actually look into it for very good reasons.”
The party says it is focused on building the “right homes” in the “right place.”
Denyer added: “When Greens were in administration in North Herefordshire, they got the first council housing in a generation built. When Greens had the housing portfolio in York, they got some low carbon housing developments with a high proportion affordable. It was multi-award-winning.”
Lucas hit out at Keir Starmer for not being willing to repeal many Conservative changes: “Look at the U-turning on the green investment pledges. They say that the two-child benefit cap is obscene, but they've also said they're not going to do anything about it.
“My theory is that, by failing to live up to this critical moment, they will end up being a one-term government. And then the Tories that we might get coming back in at that point could be even worse than and even more dangerous than what we've had so far."
Asked whether Starmer may be merely toning down his radicalism publicly to secure a majority, Lucas said: “There are very few examples in history that I can think of prime ministers being more radical in office than they were when they were campaigning for office. So I don't think that's terribly likely. And I also think more seriously that you need a mandate, if you're going to do genuinely transformative things.
“You win that mandate by telling people what you plan to do if you get elected. And so it's very dangerous to somehow think that you can just pull out of your pocket and get all sorts of radical ideas, even if he had that in mind, which I'm fairly sure if he doesn't.”
On Starmer’s U-turns, the Green MP added: “You do get to the point where people just feel this is someone who can't be trusted.”
However, she still appeared clear that a Labour government would be preferable to a Conservative one. Asked if she was regretful to be leaving Parliament on the brink of a Labour administration likely being elected, she said: “It would certainly be very interesting to be a Green MP under a Labour government.”
Her advice to the next round of Green MPs – should Denyer in Bristol, and Sian Berry in Brighton be elected – was to “have really good people around you”.
“[Denyer] won’t be on her own," she said. "She's going to have some other Greens with her. So that will make a world of difference."
Thursday could prove a litmus test for the party’s chances at the general election. But it is more than that, of course. With nearly 800 councillors to Reform UK’s nine, the party is already – often quietly – plugging away locally. Often, that's holding Labour’s feet to the fire. Very soon in Bristol and elsewhere, that role may be reversed.
Spotted something strange ahead of the local elections? If you have a political story or tip-off, email josiah@bylinetimes.com or the VoteWatch contact above.
Conservative London Mayoral Candidate Susan Hall Suggests Sadiq Khan Will Win in ‘Desperate’ Leaflet Accused of Voter Suppression
In an election replete with questionable campaign tactics – from data harvesting to campaign leaflets posing as local newspapers – a new tactic by Conservative London mayoral candidate Susan Hall has come to light.
A leaflet circulated to some Londoners suggests to voters that Labour's Sadiq Khan is inevitably going to win – in a move some election observers suspect is designed to split or de-motivate his voter base.
A letter written by Steve Tuckwell, Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip aimed at postal voters, claims that “the Mayor thinks he is going to win this election easily. This means we have the chance to make a difference because if Sadiq wins by a smaller margin than he is expecting, he will be forced to sit up and listen”.
The campaign leaflet only mentions Susan Hall and the Conservative Party in the legally-required small print at the bottom of the leaflet. Tuckwell signs off the letter as simply 'MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip’, without mentioning which party he represents.
Tom Brake, a former Liberal Democrat MP and the director of campaigning group Unlock Democracy, said: “Candidates should always be upfront in their letters and leaflets about who the literature they are circulating is actually from, with their name and party prominent. As well as the content being factually correct, this is the least voters should expect from those seeking to represent them.”
The leaflet attacks Khan over building tower blocks “instead of building the family homes that Londoners need”, police station closures, and the ULEZ tax – opposition to which has been a key plank of Hall’s campaign for mayor.
Rather than encouraging postal voters to vote for the Conservative Party, the leaflet tells people to vote for “someone else”.
Only the URL mentions the name of the Conservative Party
Part two of the offending leaflet, first shared by Local Democracy Reporter Noah Vickers
Campaigners for democratic reform told Byline Times that this kind of campaign tactic was encouraged by the changes to the voting system for London mayor.
Alberto Smith, of electoral reform campaign group Make Votes Matter, said: "This sort of tactic is a direct consequence of the change to the voting system for mayoral elections
Steve Tuckwell's party introduced. Deliberately or not, it acknowledges the reality that, under First Past the Post, a majority of Londoners' votes will potentially count for nothing.
"If you don't want politicians to take votes for granted, don't introduce a system that denies voters real choice."
London mayoral elections previously used a supplementary vote system, which allowed voters to pick a second-preference candidate in case their first choice did not make it into the top two.
In 2022, the Government changed the voting system to the 'winner takes all’ First Past the Post system, after Khan beat Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey in 2021 comfortably with second-choice votes, but only narrowly on first choice votes.
Neal Lawson, director of Compass, a think tank which promotes electoral reform, told Byline Times: “This is a last-ditch desperate tactic from the Tories to push progressives apart and win power by the back door. Conservatives know they can win on a minority share of the vote not on their own merits, but by sowing division amongst their opponents. When we divide, they conquer.
“This is partly because of the switch from SV to FPTP for mayoral elections, which represents a real backwards step for our democracy and only serves to deny voters choice.”
For political marketing expert Bendict Pringle, the leaflet was "an interesting example of voter suppression by Susan Hall".
"Distributed in Lambeth, a Labour stronghold, it asks voters to help prevent Sadiq from winning by a big margin," he said. "[There's] no suggestion of voting Conservative or of the Conservative Party.
"The Susan Hall campaign know the chances of getting someone in Lambeth to vote Tory is low, so instead focuses on getting them to vote for anyone but Sadiq. If it’s successful it will help her close the gap."
Ashok Viswanathan, co-founder and former director of Operation Black Vote and CEO of
PeoplePower, said “the Electoral Commission too must watch this campaign like hawks for the development of these seemingly benign underhand tactics, for they are anything but benign".
He argued that Hall’s campaign was reminiscent of American electioneering and was “a sign of the slow creep into UK politics of the toxicity of American SuperPACS – those faceless wonders of US electioneering".
"These tactics only increase division, spread misinformation, and cause confusion – and are a threat to modern democracy," he added. "We must ensure balance and transparency are at the heart of democratic elections and all election campaign funding.”
During last year's local elections in Norwich, a Conservative Party leaflet was reportedly delivered to a "strongly Labour voting area", telling people "you don't need to take any ID in order to vote" – which was factually incorrect and risked disenfranchising voters.
Conservative London Assembly Member Susan Hall and Conservative MP Steve Tuckwell did not respond to a request for comment.
It is unclear where and how widely the leaflets were distributed.
Additional reporting by Josiah Mortimer
This is part of our VoteWatch election investigation series. Got a story tip? Contact votewatch24@bylinetimes.com