Simmons, who lost to Conservative Eshaq Khan by 116 votes during May's elections last year, said she became suspicious about the results when 449 people from the Central Ward signed up to the electoral register, which entitles them to vote, in the two weeks leading up to the elections. Her fears were raised at the petition hearing at Slough Town Hall, which began on Monday. The hearing heard how Labour challenged 209 of these voters, and 143 people were later struck off the register.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Ex-Labour Councillor Blames Fraud For Defeat
Today's Slough & Windsor Observer reports that former Labour Councillor Lydia Simmons has given evidence to an election petition hearing over why she believes election fraud caused her to lose her seat after 23 years.
Simmons, who lost to Conservative Eshaq Khan by 116 votes during May's elections last year, said she became suspicious about the results when 449 people from the Central Ward signed up to the electoral register, which entitles them to vote, in the two weeks leading up to the elections. Her fears were raised at the petition hearing at Slough Town Hall, which began on Monday. The hearing heard how Labour challenged 209 of these voters, and 143 people were later struck off the register.
Simmons, who lost to Conservative Eshaq Khan by 116 votes during May's elections last year, said she became suspicious about the results when 449 people from the Central Ward signed up to the electoral register, which entitles them to vote, in the two weeks leading up to the elections. Her fears were raised at the petition hearing at Slough Town Hall, which began on Monday. The hearing heard how Labour challenged 209 of these voters, and 143 people were later struck off the register.
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A word about evidence. Most of what people think is material evidence of a criminal offence is in fact either hearsay evidence (asserted, but without any proof) or circumstantial evidence (suggests guilt but does not prove it). For an introduction to the subject of evidence, try: