Labour backs Electoral Commission’s voter fraud clampdown in Tower Hamlets

Efforts to clean up elections in Tower Hamlets have been backed by the borough’s leading Labour politicians.

Voting watchdog the Electoral Commission published recommendations to be implemented in the borough following a police investigation.

In a letter to the Commission’s chair, Jenny Watson, Labour MPs and council leaders wrote: “We recommit ourselves, clearly and unambiguously, to the Electoral Commission’s code of conduct for campaigners.

“Labour politicians, members and campaigners will continue to work within the

code of conduct and to report any suspected instances of electoral fraud to the authorities and expect the relevant authorities to take appropriate action when possible fraud is reported.”

The Commission received hundreds of complaints about the controversial Spitalfields by-election in May 2012, which Independent Cllr Gulam Robbani won by 43 votes.

Detectives investigated 64 allegations of voter fraud following reports of postal vote scams, and even claims of a dead person casting a ballot.

But evidence of wrongdoing was only found in three cases, and police could not gather sufficient evidence to bring any prosecutions.

Elections are due to be held in Tower Hamlets, with a tight contest expected in the battle for the role of Mayor.