Reform UK is to face a police investigation in Gorton and Denton after admitting they sent letters from “concerned neighbours” who did not state they were funded by the party and delivered.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed it had received a report of a breach of electoral law and said it would investigate. The Election Commission “Failure to include print in candidate’s election material is an offence,” insisting that avoidance is a matter for the police.
Dozens of voters in the Gorton and Denton constituency reported receiving letters from the pensioner in a handwritten font on Friday. As per the Election Act, the letters do not state by whom the funds were raised and disbursed.
The letter’s author, Patricia Clegg, described herself in the mail-outs only as “local pensioner, 74 years old”.
When contacted by the Guardian, Clegg confirmed she was a member of Reform UK and was asked to write the letter by the party.
“I was asked to support the amendment; would I be willing to write a letter and put my name to it? And I said ‘yes’, and I left the rest to them,” she said when asked if she had written the letter.
Asked if she knew that the letter did not have the legally required stamp of party support, she said no one had spoken to her about the matter.
A Reform spokesman said the campaign had handed over the letter to its print contractor “with full and correct legal printing, in full compliance with electoral law”, but “there was an error in the printing process”. Subsequently, the legal seal was “inadvertently removed during printing” without the knowledge of the party.
“At no stage did the campaign know, authorize or intend the distribution of material without a legitimate print,” the spokesperson said. Hardings Print Solutions, Middlesex, which printed the letter, said it “took full responsibility” for the error.
A representative for Greater Manchester The police confirmed that they received a report of a violation of the electoral law on Friday evening. They said that they will investigate it.
The Election Commission said that all printed material promoting a candidate in an election should bear a stamp identifying the promoter and the printer. “Enforcement of printing requirements for candidate material is a matter for the police,” a spokesperson said.
The letter said the author had previously “voted Labor because Kier Starmer told us things would get better. They didn’t”. It said the tax hike would “cost pensioners like me an extra £160 we can’t afford”.
“Some neighbors understand why they have Keir Starmer and are thinking of voting Green. But I don’t believe the Greens have the answers to our problems. They have extreme policies. Legalizing drugs and allowing men to use women’s changing rooms. What is the use for people like us?”
Several copies of the letter were posted on local Facebook and WhatsApp groups, with people saying they received them on Friday morning.
The voter, who said he was not affiliated with any party, said the matter had been reported to him Manchester City Council Elections Office.
The By-election A tight fight is expected between Labour, the Greens and Reform, with all three claiming victory.
On Friday, a Green Party spokesperson accused the reform of “playing dirty”.
“With reformers making millions from crypto billionaires and fossil fuel giants, you’d think they’d follow the law,” they said. “But instead they are playing dirty – because they know the Greens are coming for them in Gorton and Denton.
“The only way to stop the politics of divisive and hateful reforms is to vote Hannah Spencer – Electing a Green MP who will fight to cut bills, save the NHS and rebuild our public services.
Labour’s campaigns politician Andrew Western MP said: “Campaigns are responsible for what they put through people’s doors. Blaming the printer does not remove that responsibility or excuse failure to meet basic legal requirements. Reforms should focus on getting the basics right.”
