"they frighten the people"

The exact nature of the deal over the incitement to religious hatred law may now be emerging. The government delivers more power to the mosques. The mosques use their power to deliver votes to the government.

Voters in the Muslim community, which makes up almost a quarter of the electorate, say now they are being strong-armed by mosque leaders and councillors to vote Labour. The number of postal votes registered in Blackburn is 20,000, compared to 7,600 in 2001...

One voter of Pakistani origin, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, told The Independent that postal fraud in Blackburn was widespread. "It's worse than Birmingham." Like other voters in Blackburn, the 57-year old Pakistani said Labour kept its hold through the mosque committee. "It is 100 per cent Labour. They control the mosque. They frighten the people."

Meanwhile, in Bethnal Green:

At one address owned by Abdus Salique, a local businessman and Labour supporter who recently hosted a lunch for the party's candidate, Oona King, and the London mayor, Ken Livingstone, there are 12 names on the roll.

But when the Guardian visited the premises, a businessman who rents an office in the building said that none of those named lived there.

The electors have not been registered for postal votes, but polling cards have been delivered and are now in the possession of Mr Salique. Under electoral law, no proof of identification is required at the polling station.

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Comments

[Phil]

polling cards have been delivered and are now in the possession of Mr Salique. Under electoral law, no proof of identification is required at the polling station.

Presumably nobody's actually going to go down to the polling station waving a wad of polling cards ("oh, and I'd like to vote under this name too, thanks very much"). Presumably anyone pulling the kind of stunt which this report suggests would at least need to organise a stooge rota. Realistically, nobody would have a hope of actually swinging a result using this technique.

(They'd have to use postal votes.)

Banana, anyone?

[dave heasman]

"Realistically, nobody would have a hope of actually swinging a result using this technique"

So why has he done it? Practice?

[Phil]

"Realistically, nobody would have a hope of actually swinging a result using this technique"

So why has he done it? Practice?

Because every little helps, I think. Because he's not the only one. Because, I'm afraid, there were some very smelly contests last night.