A Tory MP has claimed that he reported Conservative candidates to the police for breaches of electoral law.
Steve Baker, the MP for Wycombe, has tweeted today in support of the Government’s Election Integrity Bill by evidencing the prevalence of electoral abuse in the UK’s election system.
Mr Baker said on Twitter that he had “personally” reported a Conservative Party Councillor candidate to the police for breaking electoral law.
He wrote on Twitter:
“In 2015 my agent and I personally reported one of my own party’s council candidates to the police…. My agent has on other occasions raised specific instances of electoral abuse with both the police and the Electoral Commission. Sadly, prosecutions have not followed.”
Mr Baker has been a long-time advocate of increased electoral security. In an earlier tweet, Mr Baker wrote:
“My objective is to ensure that free and fair, open and lawful elections take place in the UK without cheating. It is about upholding the principle that every entitled voter should have one vote and cast it freely. It is to ensure the proper functioning of our democracy.”
The Bill has caused controversy in left-wing circles, with many suggesting that the Bill disadvantages ethnic minorities and the elderly.
Cat Smith, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Democracy, has said:
“It doesn’t matter how the Government dresses it up; these plans will make it harder for working-class, older and black people to vote. Giving people a say at the ballot box helps make our democratic country what it is, and we must not do anything to undermine that.”
