Greater Manchester Police have arrested five people in connection with an investigation into alleged electoral fraud in Tameside. The arrests, made on Thursday morning in the Ashton-under-Lyne area, involve four men and a woman aged between 23 and 47, on suspicion of fraud offences.
The force stated that the arrests relate to the process of how candidates were put forward and represented in a ward, and whether this adhered to relevant legislation and electoral procedures. The investigation follows concerns over several independent candidates in May’s local election.
Local publication The Mill had investigated claims that individuals were encouraged to stand as independent candidates in the St Peter’s ward election to split opposition votes and benefit Labour. Labour candidate Atta Ul-Rasool won the seat with 177 votes more than independent Ahmed Mehmood, and was the only Labour candidate to win a seat in Tameside.
Two other independent candidates, Marie Fairhurst and Muhammad Ali, received a combined 291 votes. The Mill reported that both had little visible campaign presence and did not respond to attempts to contact them. After the result, the Tameside Correspondent reported that Fairhurst said she had not been aware she was standing as a candidate.
Kaleel Khan, a councillor who managed Mehmood’s campaign, told The Mill he intended to challenge the election result at Tameside council. No charges have been brought, and the police investigation continues.
