Glenrothes by-election records ‘lost’
By politics.co.uk staff
MSP’s and pressure groups are calling for an inquiry after crucial records of the Glenrothes by-election went missing.
Officials only admitted the marked electoral registers for the by-election was missing after months of searching.
The Sheriff Clerk’s Office in Kirkcaldy only just admitted the records were missing, but John Beare, convener of the SNP in central Fife, first asked for marked registers in November.
The marked registers are the only record of who voted during the election but not who they voted for – and have to be kept for a year and made available for scrutiny by individuals and political parties.
Tricia Marwick, MSP for Central Fife, said: “Without these records there is no evidence of either a fair or unfair election. This undermines the confidence of everyone who took part.
“It is almost beyond belief that a by-election which attracted media coverage throughout the UK, which delivered such a surprise result and had a much higher turnout than anticipated now has no records to show who actually voted.
“There now needs to be the fullest independent inquiry carried out.”
Peter Facey, director of Unlock Democracy, said there is no need to jump to conclusions just yet but it is a very serious incident which needs investigating.
“We have no reason to assume that a fourfold increase in postal votes is due to fraud, but without a marked register we have no way of checking,” he said.
“With confidence in the electoral system already low, incidents like this can only further undermine its credibility.
“Sadly, the register for the Glenrothes by-election is by no means the first one to disappear. There needs to be an urgent investigation into this and steps should be made to ensure there are fewer incidents of lost or inaccurate marked registers in the next general election than there were in 2005.”
A Labour spokesman said: “Lindsay Roy [Labour candidate] won the by-election because of the incompetence of the SNP locally and nationally.
“The ballot papers were counted fair and square in front of the eyes of the world.”
Labour saw off an SNP challenge to hold the Glenrothes seat, in Fife, late last year.
Mr Roy held on to the seat with a majority of more than 6,000 in the by-election, which was held following the death of sitting MP John MacDougall.
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