SALFORD MAYOR CALLS ON MICHAEL GOVE TO REFORM ELECTORAL LAWS AS A SERVING SALFORD COUNCILLOR STANDS FOR ELECTION IN THE COTSWOLDS

Salford's City Mayor, Paul Dennett, has written to Michael Gove (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) to ask him to take steps to reform flawed electoral laws which have allowed one serving Salford Liberal Democrat councillor to stand for election in the Cotswolds. 

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Twells is currently a serving councillor for the ward of Ordsall in Salford and is not due to stand for re-election there until 2026, but is also now standing as a candidate for Tetbury with Upton in the upcoming local elections on May 4.

The situation recently prompted Conservatives councillors in Tetbury to ask the Cotswold District Council election monitoring officer Angela Clarridge to contact police over issues relating to what they say are 'multiple' Lib Dem candidates who are using the same address. 

It has also been noted by the Mayor that the Liberal Democrats candidate for the Blackfriars and Trinity ward, Scott James Turner-Preece, is also seemingly concurrently standing for election in Bolton in the Horwich South and Blackrod ward.

The Mayor says that he believes such action amounts to chronic dishonesty and has urged an urgent investigation into the matter.

Paul Dennett, said:

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"Today I've written to Michael Gove imploring him to explore reform to electoral law to prevent local election candidates standing across multiple wards, using multiple addresses as their home residences, addresses which are not their primary real addresses, standing in different seats spanning large areas of the country within very short timeframes and to tighten up a current deficiencies in the existing rules.

"This has come following the fact it is increasingly clear that in Salford, the Salford Liberal Democrats have been 'gaming' the lack of regulatory oversight in this area, particularly given the example of Ordsall councillor Chris Twells, elected last year, who is presently claiming to be a resident, work full time and be standing for election in the Cotswolds (160 miles drive away).

"Our Blackfriars and Trinity Lib Dem candidate Scott James Turner-Preece is also standing for election in Bolton in the Horwich South and Blackrod ward, and the Lib Dem candidate for Ordsall Paul Darren Heilbron is claiming in his election literature that he lives on Broadway "in the heart of Ordsall" whilst registering his nomination papers in Weaste.

"We believe this amounts to chronic dishonesty from the Lib Dems and an urgent investigation is required."