Labour Party group accused of faking independent candidates in local election

Labour Party group accused of faking independent candidates in local election Submitted by Imran Mulla on Thu, 05/21/2026 - 15:50 Five people have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud, according to Greater Manchester Police The fake candidates secured 291 votes in the local election held on 7 May (AFP) Off A Labour Party group in Tameside in Greater Manchester has been accused of inventing fake independent candidates in the local elections in an attempt to split votes for opposition candidates. Four men and a woman aged between 23 and 47 have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud, according to Greater Manchester Police. Local newspaper Manchester Mill reported claims that members of the Tameside Labour group planted fake independent candidates in the St Peter's Ward called Muhammad Ali and Marie Fairhurst. They reportedly gained 291 votes between them in the elections held on 7 May. A woman in the area called Marie Fairhurst reportedly said she had no idea she was on the ballot paper. Attar Ul-Rasool, the Labour candidate in the ward, was narrowly elected. He beat Ahmed Mehmood, a genuine independent candidate, by 177 votes. The Tameside council area covers former deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner's seat of Ashton-under-Lyne. The arrests come less than four weeks before a by-election in Makerfield, also in Greater Manchester, in which Mayor Andy Burnham is seeking to be elected as MP.  How the smear campaign targeting the Green Party and Muslim voters failed Read More » If he wins, it is expected that he will challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the party leadership. Greater Manchester Police said: "This morning, officers in Tameside arrested five people on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud, as part of an investigation into alleged offences committed leading up to the local elections. "In the days leading up to and following the election on May 7, we received reports surrounding concerns about candidates within the St Peter’s ward. "Following initial enquiries last week, we have launched a full investigation into the allegations. "The work is specifically investigating the process of how candidates were put forward and represented in the ward, and if this adhered to the relevant legislation and electoral procedures. "The five people – four men and a woman aged between 23 and 47 – were arrested at addresses in Tameside this morning. They remain in custody for questioning. "We are working closely with the Electoral Commission and local partners as part of our enquiries. We will provide further updates as we progress our investigation further." UK Politics News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0