Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal

tygerland Wed Jul 18, 2007 at 10:24:53 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Telegraph hack lets slip... Tories in serious trouble



Political Penguin has a very, very sexy exclusive. David Cameron’s Ealing balls ups just keep coming.

It seems the Tories have leaked the results to the Telegraph from a closed-door validation check of postal votes.

PP picks up the facts: -

What this article in the Telegraph claims is the someone from the Tories has provided information pertaining to the initial validating of the postal votes in the Ealing Southall by-election. All political parties are allowed representatives to oversee the validation process however any release of an indication as to how the votes are going for each party is strictly prohibited as such a release could influence or be prejudicial to the outcome of the ballot.

If you’re in doubt as to the seriousness of the leak, PP explains in full.

So, who will get their collar felt?

Telegraph links withheld for legal reasons

UPDATE: 21:20 - Oooops, The Telegraph has taken down the post. Methinks boob-hack, Jonathan Isaby, will be getting a bollocking in the morning. Or worse…



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Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal | 5 comments (5 topical)

Re: Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal (#1)

by CockneyLad on Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 02:06:21 PM GMT

I know this has nothing to do with the topic but could somebody clarify something for me. Are parties allowed to post leaflets on polling day as I have found with the Tories and Lib Dems this morning. Additionally are they allowed to have activists (Tory and Lib Dems again) quizzing voters once they have left the polling station as I found at Kingsdown Road today.


Re: Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal (#2)

by Radford Mann on Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 02:27:10 PM GMT

Yes, parties may deliver leaflets on election day provided that the cost doesn't take that party's spending over the limit allowed for the election. Many Labour Parties deliver a 'Good Morning' leaflet on election day.

I'm less sure about quizzing voters as they leave the Polling Station. Given that it is legal to conduct exit polls, I don't see why asking voters who they voted for would be illegal. The voter isn't obliged to reveal either the truthful answer or indeed any answer.


[ Parent ]

Re: Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal (#3)

by repub on Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 03:32:36 PM GMT

It's quite normal to have tellers on polling stations. They're more likely to ask for the number of the poll card than who they voted for - means parties can work out which 'promised votes' have actually been to the polling station that day.


Re: Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal (#4)

by bigpapi on Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 09:03:05 PM GMT

CockneyLad, it's quite legal for parties (or Independent candidates) to deliver leaflets anytime on Election Day, as long as they comply with the usual rules about content, and don't take the candidate over his or her expenses limit.


As for questioning people as they exit the Polling Station it's usually done following canvassing when a Party has a list of people who have identified themselves as, for example, Labour voters.  You then have volunteers outside the Polling Station taking people's polling number, these are periodically reported back to campaign HQ where those that relate to identified Labour supporters are crossed-off  the list.  If at certain points during the day (for example with 2 hours before the close of poll) there are identified Labour voters whose names haven't been crossed off then the Party should(!) contact them again to see if they still intend to vote, or require assistance in getting to their Polling Station.


Re: Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal (#5)

by CockneyLad on Thu Jul 19, 2007 at 11:52:34 PM GMT

Yeah this happened today. In the evening there were quite a few Labour activists knocking on doors trying to get people out.


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Tories in serious Ealing Southall Scandal | 5 comments (5 topical)