Glenrothes bye - election result was falsified - records destroyed
Via aangirfan - Steve Bargetson of the Courier newspaper in the Kingdom of Fife has unearthed something very, very, very peculiar about the Glenrothes bye election called unexpectedly on the death of Nu Labour MP John MacDougall who had a 10,664 majority.
There is one single official record of WHO voted in Westminster by-election last November.
It has gone missing.
The result - with Nu Labour winning by 6737 majority over the SNP was unexpected by EVERYONE - the Bookies, the Press, the SNP , Nu Labour, SDP, and that rare animal the Scottish Tory.
All the major parties, including Labour on election night itself, had predicted that the nationalists would narrowly win the seat, which borders Prime Minister Gordon’s Brown’s constituency.
The Labour victory sent shockwaves through the SNP and was the catalyst for a revival of Labour’s fortunes nationally.
In December the SNP in Glenrothes applied to the sheriff court to obtain a copy of the marked electoral register—on which officials in polling stations score out voters as they register to vote. It is the official record of who presented themselves to vote.
Candidates and their agents are allowed to see a copy of the register, which records only the fact of voting not who they voted for (or indeed spoiled votes).
After repeated requests for the document last month, Councillor John Beare, the convener of the SNP Central Fife constituency, has been told that it has gone missing.(His website list his interests including (Elections & Electoral Systems))
Mr Beare said he was told renovation work has been carried out at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court and that some documentation had been removed for confidential waste disposal.
Under the present electoral arrangements, certain papers including voting papers and a copy of the marked electoral register are to be kept by the sheriff clerk for that electoral area for a year after an election.
Last night Central Fife SNP MSP Tricia Marwick said the missing record of who voted places a question mark over the result.
Asked if she suspected foul play, she said, “ No I do not. Nor do I believe it was a fair election.
“All I can say for sure is that the crucial information that proves it one way or another has gone missing.
“I have no evidence of foul play. I sincerely hope not. But the turnout at this by-election surprised everyone and the result was a surprise.
“This is why the marked up register in this election was absolutely crucial.
“Without this register the democratic process has been undermined.
“It is vitally important that voters have confidence that the conduct of the election was fair.
“I am not saying for one minute that something untoward went on, but without the register we just don’t know.
“There must be confidence in the process.”
Mr Beare said that he leans towards a “cock-up rather than conspiracy” theory as to how the register disappeared.HO.HO.HO - a trusting politician.
“I do think in the 21st century there is a big question to be asked about how we keep our records,” he said.
A Scottish Court Service spokesman said, “We can confirm that the sheriff clerk at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court took receipt of these items following the Glenrothes by-election in November and that the voting papers for this election, which were deposited at the same time, are available.
“This is deeply regrettable and we are investigating the circumstances relating to this loss.”
Labour candidate Lindsay Roy , who was a reluctant candidate and until his election, was popular rector (Headteacher) of Kirkcaldy high school. He won the Glenrothes by-election on November 6 last year polling 19,946 votes with a 6737 majority. Roy was not an active politician BUT was / is a friend of Gordon Brown - but has been fairly inactive as MP - has spoken in 3 debates in the last year (maiden speech Dec 8th 2008) — well below average amongst MPs. He has received answers to 0 written questions in the last year — well below average amongst MPs. He is a member of 0 select committee (0 as chair).
SNP candidate Peter Grant, who is also leader of Fife Council, came second with 13,209 votes.
52.37% of the 69,155 electorate is recorded as having voted.
The defeated candidate can still however , in the absence of the register demand a recount.
UPDATE Scotsman Wed 4th SNP raises doubts on Glenrothes as inquiry launched into by-election
"Question marks had already been raised over the turnout at the by-election – it was, unusually, much higher than in the general election – and the number of postal votes, which was four times the average."
Mr Roy is quoted ..He added: "That said, claims that the election was unfair are a distraction. I would be delighted to sit with Ms Marwick (Tricia Marwick, the Nationalist MSP for Central Fife) and watch the ballot papers being recounted, but the reality is that local people voted Labour."
The Times - Official Glenrothes by-election results 'lost'
The Herald - Demand for inquiry as Glenrothes by-election register is lost
Fife Today - Row over missing Glenrothes by-election register - ""It seems that the registers must have gone misisng almost immediately after they were delivered to the Sheriff Clerk's office because John Beare first asked for copies on November 19." Hmmmmmm. Election was on 7th Nov.
BBC Online
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Peter Hain,the man with the tan from the can , excitedly announced the appointment today of the unlovely , square jawerd, granite faced, Janet Paraskeva as Chair Designate of the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. Her appointment, which is for 4 years, will take effect from 19 November 2007.