A police probe into allegations of ‘family voting’ in last month’s Gorton and Denton by-election found no evidence of breaches of electoral law, it was announced today.
The parliamentary contest on 26 February, which was won by the Green Party, was hit by claims of illegal practices at polling stations across the constituency.
So-called ‘family voting’ is where two people use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on voting.
Tougher legislation, known as the Ballot Secrecy Act, was introduced in 2023 to make clear it is an offence in a bid to clamp down on the practice.
Election observer group Democracy Volunteers said it had witnessed ‘concerningly high levels’ of family voting in the Gorton and Denton by-election.
Reform UK, who came second in the parliamentary contest, later reported this to Greater Manchester Police as party leader Nigel Farage lashed out at ‘cheating’.
But the force on Friday said it had found no eviendce of any intent to influence or refrain any person from casting a ballot.
The Green Party’s Hannah Spencer won the by-election with 40.7 per cent of the vote and a majority of 4,402, with Reform’s Matt Goodwin second with 28.7 per cent.
The four accredited election observers from Democracy Volunteers saw family voting in 15 of the 22 polling stations they attended across Gorton and Denton, the organisation said.
This was 32 cases in total, with nine cases observed in one polling station alone. It meant that 12 per cent of the voters observed either caused or were affected by family voting.
But, in a statement, Greater Manchester Police said Democracy Volunteers did not allege ‘any verbal instruction or physical conduct that indicated one person was directing or coercing another regarding how to vote’.
‘This is a crucial part of the legislation to prove such an offence was committed,’ the force added.
Greater Manchester Police said they had asked Democracy Volunteers for descriptions of those alleged to be involved, and timings on when incidents are believed to have occurred.
These details ‘were not documented by observers or the complainant, and we have not been provided with any identities or descriptions to pursue,’ the force said.
It added it had obtained some CCTV footage from three polling stations visited by Democracy Volunteers and spoken to the presiding officer from each one, but that these stations did not show any evidence of people directing or coercing others on how to vote.
‘There is no evidence to suggest any intent to influence or refrain a person from voting as stated in the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023,’ it said.
The Gorton and Denton by-election was triggered by the resignation of former Labour minister Andrew Gwynne from the House of Commons.
Labour finished a dismal third in the contest despite flooding the Greater Manchester seat with ministers and 1,000 activists in the run-up to polling day.
Senior Tory MP Sir James Cleverly, the shadow communities secretary, said:
Sir James Cleverly MP, Shadow Communities Secretary, said: ‘It is completely unacceptable for anyone’s vote to be watched or pressured inside a polling station.
‘The secrecy of the ballot is as important in the 21st century as it was in the 19th.
‘There were widespread claims from Democracy Volunteers of family voting in Gorton and Denton, and it is not the only place where it has been reported.
‘The rights of all British voters – across class, colour and creed – must be defended and the law must be applied equally and fairly to everyone.
‘The Government must confirm how they will ensure that happens across the board.’
