Election 2010: Galloway taunts Fitz with Afghan jibe as Votergate sparks email complaints
GEORGE Galloway has launched a stinging attack on Labour s Jim Fitzpatrick, comparing the elections in Tower Hamlets to those in Afghanistan. Mr Galloway has expressed a number of concerns about vote-rigging in borough and is calling for reform of the pos
GEORGE Galloway has launched a stinging attack on Labour's Jim Fitzpatrick, comparing the elections in Tower Hamlets to those in Afghanistan.
Mr Galloway has expressed a number of concerns about vote-rigging in borough and is calling for reform of the postal vote system.
He said: "Jim Fitzpatrick says we went to war in Afghanistan to defend democracy, and yet what is happening in Tower Hamlets would make Hamid Karzai blush."
During a press conference, Mr Galloway outlined his four-point plan to 'restore confidence' in the Tower Hamlets electorate.
1. A full scale police inquiry into election fraud in the borough.
2. The returning officer to examine any instance where two or more people have recently been added to the electoral roll.
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3. Parties to suspend candidates who have added extra people to the electoral roll at their home addresses.
4. The Electoral Commission to launch an independent investigation into the postal vote system.
Isabella Freeman, the Deputy Returning Officer for Tower Hamlets, has exchanged e-mails with Mr Galloway over the allegations of electoral fraud.
She wrote:"We consider that the difficulties many boroughs are facing are down to last minute registration and the close of the register 11 days before the poll.
"This does not allow the time to put names on the register and investigate any suspicious registrations.
"We do support the view that more needs to be done to support registration officers in the task of ensuring the integrity of the register.
