East Leeds councillor highlights need for fair election (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

East Leeds councillor highlights need for fair election

March 20, 2007 12:00 AM

Ahead of this year's local elections, West Yorkshire Police Authority member Cllr Javaid Akhtar has highlighted the need for the authorities to keep a watchful eye on potential postal vote fraudsters and campaigners using bully-boy tactics.

Cllr Akhtar has already spoken with the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police about this issue and he has been assured that the police are taking the issue of voting fraud very seriously.

Cllr Javaid Akhtar (Lib Dem, Gipton & Harehills) said "Local elections are a frantic time for politicians and their supporters and whilst campaigning is part and parcel of the democratic process, all parties must be very careful not to overstep the accepted boundaries.

"Here in Leeds we have a vibrant political scene and all the main parties are united in their wish for a fully democratic election. However, we only have to look at the fiasco in Birmingham in 2004, where postal votes were misused and people were bullied into handing over their ballot papers, to see to what level things can deteriorate if we take our eye off the ball."