Nigel Farage has reported cases of “family voting” to the electoral commission and police following Reform UK’s defeat to the Green Party in the Gorton & Denton by-election, stating the practice “raises serious questions about the integrity of the democratic process in predominantly Muslim areas.”
The Reform UK leader filed the formal complaint after his party’s candidate Matthew Goodwin was beaten by Green Party’s Hannah Spencer with a majority of more than 4,000 votes. Farage stated: “Reform has today reported the many cases of ‘family voting’ to the electoral commission and the police. What was witnessed yesterday is deeply concerning.”
Family voting is an illegal practice where two voters use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on voting. Election observer group Democracy Volunteers had warned it witnessed “concerningly high levels” of the practice during polling.
Farage added: “If this is what was happening at polling stations just imagine the potential for coercion with postal votes. If action isn’t taken now, then we will ensure it is after the next General Election.”
However, Reform UK chairman Dr David Bull conceded that reports of illegal family voting “probably not” impacted the result when asked directly about the issue. Responding to questions about whether “unprecedented levels of illegal family voting” affected the outcome, Dr Bull stated: “If I’m being candid, probably not.”
A Green Party spokesman dismissed the complaints, stating: “This is an attempt to undermine the democratic result and is straight out of the Trump playbook. We’ve just won a historic by-election by a comfortable margin. We’ve shown the country that Greens can beat Reform, despite their big business donations.”
Hannah Spencer secured victory for Zack Polanski’s Green Party in what marked a historic achievement, defeating Reform UK’s Goodwin by more than 4,000 votes in the Greater Manchester constituency.
The electoral commission will now review Reform UK’s formal complaint and determine whether breaches of electoral law occurred. Police will also examine the allegations as part of their investigation into the conduct of the by-election.
