Reform blames printer as Farage’s party faces investigation into by-election leaflet
A letter from a “local pensioner” circulated for Reform UK in the Gorton and Denton by-election that appeared to break election law has been referred to the Electoral Commission and police.
Letter from “concerned neighbour” Patricia Clegg explains why she is no longer voting Labor and has switched her vote to Nigel Farage’s party.
But opponents pointed out that the leaflet had the potential to violate election law because it did not have a stamp indicating that the party had distributed it.
Greater Manchester Police have now confirmed that a complaint has been made to them and will be “investigated”.
The Election Commission stated that the negligence was a police matter and that “failure to stamp candidate selection materials is a crime.”
Former Conservative agent Andrew Kennedy wrote: “For 40 years as a Conservative Party representative I campaigned for 2,100 candidates, including 50 MPs. During that time I probably published 10,000 different leaflets. Not once did I allow a leaflet to be distributed without legal pressure.”
The intervention is significant as Reform candidate Matthew Goodwin is trying to win the Labor-held seat with more than 50 per cent of the vote in the general election, with some polls putting Labor in third place behind the Greens.
Turn Left Media released a statement that it had reported the reform to the Electoral Commission.
Reform UK member Ms Clegg said: Guard“I was asked to support the Reformation; would I like to write a letter and put my name in it? I said ‘Yes’ and left the rest to them.”
However, Reform took responsibility and received a statement from the printing house they had appointed to print the brochure.
A spokesperson for Hardings Print Solutions Limited said: “Reform UK did not request or authorize the removal of the print. This negligence arose from Hardings Printers’ manufacturing process.”
“The Party provided artwork that accurately contained the legally required print, and appropriate proof was produced and approved.”
A Reform spokesman said: “The campaign commissioned a letter from a local voter to our printing contractor, which was delivered along with full and accurate legal print, in full compliance with electoral law.
“Print-ready proofs were provided by the supplier and approved by the campaign. These proofs clearly contained the correct legal print.”
But Labour’s campaign political leader Andrew Western MP said: “Campaigns are responsible for what they put on people’s doorsteps. Blaming a printer does not absolve that responsibility or excuse failure to meet basic legal requirements.
“Reform should focus on getting the basics right.”
The letter said Ms Clegg “voted Labor because Keir Starmer told us things would change for the better, but they didn’t.”
He added that tax increases “cost pensioners like me an extra £160 we can’t afford”.
