South Wales Evening Post - 24 April 2008
Police have been called in to investigate alleged election fraud by a council candidate.
Officers were at Swansea Civic Centre yesterday after receiving a complaint that the signatures on nomination forms for Uplands Conservative candidate Simon Bright had been faked by fellow Tory Norman Whitlock without Mr Bright's knowledge.
Mr Whitlock has now handed in his resignation to party officials while the investigation is carried out.
All candidates for local elections must submit nomination forms signed by a proposer, a seconder and eight other people eligible to vote in that area.
However, when two Brynmill residents at the centre of the controversy were asked about their nomination of Mr Bright, they were shocked to hear their names and signatures had been used.
The couple, who asked not to be named, visited the civic centre to see the forms for themselves and confirmed they had been faked.
They said the first they knew about the nomination was when they were asked about it by Uplands councillor Peter May.
"We would never have known about it," they said.
"I don't like what has been done, using our names without permission."
Now the council's chief executive Paul Smith, in his role as the city's returning officer, has called in the police to investigate the matter.
A Swansea Council spokesman said: "Allegations have been made to the council and they have been referred by the returning officer to the police."
Mr Smith said that all the candidates would remain on the ballot papers, although results could be challenged at a later date.
He said: "The allegations which I have received have been referred to the police for investigation.
"When the police have concluded their investigations, I will pursue any issues which may arise.
"Next week's elections will continue as programmed.
"Any issues regarding the validity of an election can be challenged in an Election Court."
A police spokesman said: "I can confirm an ongoing investigation in relation to the forthcoming election."
Now the Liberal Democrats have said they will investigate whether any other signatures have been falsified across Swansea and Gower, where the Conservatives have fielded a record number of candidates.
Council leader Chris Holley said: "Election fraud is a very serious offence.
"It is now an issue for the Conservative Party and the police. We have done all we are going to do."
A Welsh Conservative Party spokesman said: "Mr Whitlock has resigned from the Conservative Party in the light of these allegations.
"We take this issue extremely seriously and will be launching our own investigation as a matter of urgency."
Mr Whitlock and Mr Bright both declined to comment on the investigation.
