Remember The Glenrothes By-election Shock?

[cht]

Now call me paranoid, but this is dodgy:

From the Courier

THE ONLY official record of who voted in a Westminster by-election that rocked the political world has mysteriously gone missing placing a question mark over the result.

In a surprise result in November last year, Labour won the Glenrothes by-election with a 6737 majority over the SNP. All the major parties, including Labour on election night itself, had predicted that the nationalists would narrowly win the seat, which borders Prime Minister Gordon’s Brown’s constituency.

The Labour victory sent shockwaves through the SNP and was the catalyst for a revival of Labour’s fortunes nationally. In December the SNP in Glenrothes applied to the sheriff court to obtain a copy of the marked electoral register—on which officials in polling stations score out voters as they register to vote. It is the official record of who presented themselves to vote.

Candidates and their agents are allowed to see a copy of the register, which records only who voted and not how they voted. However, after repeated requests for the document last month, Councillor John Beare, the convener of the SNP Central Fife constituency, has been told that it has gone missing.

Coming to a general election?

[6538]

Now call me paranoid, but this is dodgy:

From the Courier

Coming to a general election?

Perhaps we need UN observers at the next one? I mean, lots of countries with corrupt voting systems have them so why not us? After all, our system has already been described as being a "disgrace to a Banana republic" by one judge.

[Wad]

This is absolutley appaling.

I thought all the election records were kept in a secure location afterwards?

I am confodent there is a totally innocent explanation and that this is just down to a simple error but really much much more care needs to be taken with such vital records. They should surely be under police guard along with ballot boxes so they cannot go missing until they reach a secure stor.

I sincerely hope they are found for the benefit of all parties concerned includng the electorate.

[R K]

"The problems that started in Glenrothes"

[MrPeregrination]

This is absolutley appaling.

I thought all the election records were kept in a secure location afterwards?

I am confodent there is a totally innocent explanation and that this is just down to a simple error but really much much more care needs to be taken with such vital records. They should surely be under police guard along with ballot boxes so they cannot go missing until they reach a secure stor.

I sincerely hope they are found for the benefit of all parties concerned includng the electorate.

I'm also fairly sure this is mostly honest mistake but if the records can not be produced then the election should be re-held. An election is far too important a thing to allow for things like this to happen.

[Errol]

If the document can't be produced there should be an immediate re-election.

[1929crash]

I'm also fairly sure this is mostly honest mistake but if the records can not be produced then the election should be re-held. An election is far too important a thing to allow for things like this to happen.

The ballot papers are put in a box and sealed and kept for, I believe a year, in the event of an election petition. Then they are destroyed.

The marked register, which is what has actually gone missing, only tells you who voted, not who they voted for, but it allows you to see if there have been any dead people voting and so on.

If the marked register is not found that is not enough to trigger an election petition, which is a procedure that relies on evidence of fraud or irregularity in the conduct of the ballot. The last time we had such a petition was, I believe after the 1997 Winchester result when the Lib Dems were declared the winners after 21 recounts with a majority of 2.

[Freeholder]

Zanu Labour changed the law to make electoral corruption via postal votes possible. They have now been caugt doing it on sevral occassions. Until these corrupt and degenerate people came to power UK elections were the cleanest in the world. The Conservatives need to put a big effort into making an issue of this or it will be widespread at the next general election.

[cht]

Mike Smithson, a Lib Dem blogger also seems to think this is slightly dodgy:

The result was a sensation. A majority for Labour far in excess of what anybody was predicting and, as was pointed out at the time, there was the massive increase in postal votes compared with what happened in May 2005.

I’ve been associated with many elections over several decades and I have never known a marked register to have been lost like this.

Scandalous.

[EndToBoomandBust]

ZaNuLabour strikes again.

[Guest mattsta1964]

Now call me paranoid, but this is dodgy:

Coming to a general election?

That's astonishing.......and worrying

The UK is becoming (is already?) a banana republic.

[cht]

Now the SNP want an inquiry. BBC Link:

The SNP has called for an inquiry after it emerged marked electoral registers for the Glenrothes by-election were lost by the courts.

Lost? WTF. 'Sorry Mr taxman, but I've lost my receipts.'

[dinsdale]

That's astonishing.......and worrying

The UK is becoming (is already?) a banana republic.

Labour activists in a recent Leeds by-election went door to door 'helping' pensioners fill in their postal vote forms and then posting them for them. Postal voting is an open invitation for corruption and was introduced by Labour for that very reason.

[InternationalRockSuperstar]

That's astonishing.......and worrying

The UK is becoming (is already?) a banana republic.

don't see what all the fuss is about.

it's not like voting changes anything anyway.

[Guest DissipatedYouthIsValuable]

The trouble with this government is that it's just so difficult to get hold of large amounts of oxidising accelerants these days, to help ease them out of office.

[1888]

the very fact Glenrothes is next door to Superclowns own seat

is a valid enough reason for corruption

After losing the Glasgow East to the SNP ,Glenrothes was a piece of cake in comparison

and people have to ask who runs Glenrothes council

no prizes for guessing!!!!!

As an SNP voter myself I was gobsmakked when they did'nt win

this stinks to high heaven !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BLOW FLY]

Wonder what bu****it Patprimer will come out with to defend this

[interestrateripoff]

Mugabe would be pleased about this.

[Freeholder]

Its not as if we wern't warned well before Glenrothes. See attached article from last years Times.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/c...icle3835336.ece

[JustAnotherProle]

Dont panic, the register just want for a brief walk in the woods...

[patprimer74]

Candidates and their agents are allowed to see a copy of the register, which records only who voted and not how they voted.

So, what would they hope to find? Someone's name crossed off in blue pen rather than black pen, perhaps?

They lost the vote; they would be better employed reviewing their policies to see why the voters failed to back them. Like, the electorate don't want an independent Scotland?

p

[dinsdale]

So, what would they hope to find? p

Evidence of postal voting fraud? Don't worry Pat, there won't be any police investigation or charges brought. That's only reserved for the 'toffs' these days isn't it?

[cht]

So, what would they hope to find? Someone's name crossed off in blue pen rather than black pen, perhaps?

They lost the vote; they would be better employed reviewing their policies to see why the voters failed to back them. Like, the electorate don't want an independent Scotland?

p

Someone who takes an interest in democratic politics, like yourself pat, should be concerned that such an important document can just disappear.

[renterbob]

Someone who takes an interest in democratic politics, like yourself pat, should be concerned that such an important document can just disappear.

They fought for their freedom, and instead they got labour activists.

[patprimer74]

Someone who takes an interest in democratic politics, like yourself pat, should be concerned that such an important document can just disappear.

'Just disappear'! That's a bit dramatic. Some bits of paper can't be found, at the moment. So? It happens! How convenient for the SNP - gives them a subject to talk about other than their lack of success.

p