CALL FOR POLICE TO PROBE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS CANDIDATES ADDRESSES ELECTION LAW ‘BREACH’

Police are being asked to investigate possible breaches of election law over residential addresses on forms given by a Salford councillor who is standing for election in the Cotswolds, a stone’s throw from King Charles’ Highgrove home.

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Twells represents the ward of Ordsall in Salford and is only due to stand for re-election there in 2026, but is also now standing as a candidate for Tetbury with Upton in the local elections on May 4.

In addition, Coun Twells also works as a professional election agent for the Lib Dems.

Conservatives have asked the Cotswold District Council election monitoring officer Angela Clarridge to contact police over issues relating to multiple Lib Dem candidates who are using the same address. 

In a reply, Ms Clarridge has put them in direct contact with the Gloucestershire Constabulary, although a police spokesperson said they are yet to receive any complaints over the matter.

An open letter from the leader of Cotswold Conservatives Tony Berry to the Lib Dem council leader of Cotswold District Council Joe Harris has been posted on Facebook.

The preamble says:

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“Apparently the LibDems have been unable to find sufficient local candidates to stand in Tetbury, so they have resorted to parachuting in their agent who is currently a serving city councillor in Salford near Manchester which is 153 miles away.

“We are currently investigating whether they are allowed to do this, but even if they are, surely the electorate is entitled to have a local councillor who lives locally representing them for the next four years.”

 

In the letter to Coun Harris, he expresses ‘dismay’ at the decision to select Coun Twells as the candidate for Tetbury with Upton.

It goes on:

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“As soon as the nomination papers were published, we were aware of Chris Twells’ nomination and the fact that he is on using his election literature the same address as the home address of your other candidate in Tetbury, Ian Watson. 

“Mr Twells is also using an address for his imprint of Priory Farm, Hazleton, Cheltenham, which we understand is a business unit belonging to his brother.

“Not only do we question Mr Twells’ legitimacy to stand as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the people of Tetbury in the forthcoming elections, but also your selection process and the legitimacy and eligibility of your other candidates, particularly Helene Mancilla, who we note sits alongside you with Chris Twells on the Liberal Democrat Executive Council and whose home address is in Madrid.”

 

He wrote that:

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“over the last four years, the Conservatives, whilst in opposition, have had to listen to you and your party pontificating on openness and transparency”.

“I believe that your selection of Mr Twells and Ms Mancilla is hypocritical in the extreme,” the letter said.

“Given that you are not only the leader of the Cotswold District Council, but also a Gloucestershire county councillor and leader of the Liberal Democrats on the LGA (Local Government Association), surely you should have known better. We ask you to withdraw your two candidates and stop treating voters in the Cotswolds with such contempt.”

 

Meanwhile, David Fowles vice-chairman political of the Cotswold Conservative Association has received a response from Ms Clarridge over the request for a police investigation.

In an email to Mr Fowles seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) she has written:

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“One of my tasks during the election period is acting as the conduit, or liaison with the police, for matters which the complainant considers could be an election offence. 

“You’ll be aware that electoral offences are a police matter.  I’ve spoken to DS Simon Shaw regarding your concerns and he has suggested you email him direct.”

 

A statement has also been issued on behalf of Salford city mayor Paul Dennett, saying:

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“I can confirm that Salford Labour are looking to submit our own complaint to the city council’s monitoring officer and standards committee regarding Coun Twells, following speculation and confusion over his permanent home address.

“Following revelations that Coun Twells is living and standing for election in Tetbury with Upton and seemingly acting as the election agent for a number of candidates, his colleague, Coun Warren [Alexs Warren, leader of Salford Lib Dems] made a statement that his permanent address is in Salford. But this is contradicted by the Cotswold Liberal Democrats who claims he is living and working in the Cotswold borough.

“In law, a candidate must either live or work within the council area in which they are standing. We believe there is good reason to suspect that Coun Twells neither lives or works in Salford and therefore should be ineligible to be a Salford councillor. It is a matter that, at the very least, requires a thorough investigation.”

 

The LDRS has contacted Coun Twells for comment but he has not responded. A spokesperson from the Liberal Democrat press office said:

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“During election campaigns, Conservatives sometimes try to involve the police, we’re not aware of any current investigation, if there was one we would of course co-operate.”