An enthusiastic Labour supporter has unwittingly caused a political spat by writing to anyone with a Green poster in their window urging them to vote carefully.
Jessica Meek, who lives in Walpole Terrace in Baker’s Bottom, posted letters through letterboxes over a large area of the Brighton Kemptown constituency last week.
The letters, with a Labour leaflet attached, were sent over a large area, as far away as the Pankhurst Estate more than half a mile from Mrs Meek’s home.
They angered many Green supporters, leading the party’s Kemptown candidate Davy Jones and others to suspect dirty tricks.
But although Ms Meek is a Labour volunteer, the party’s candidate Nancy Platts knew nothing about her mini-campaign.
In the letter, Ms Meek writes: “I have every sympathy your intention to vote Green. But before you cast your vote, I’d ask that you look at the enclosed leaflet and check out the voting percentages.
“This constituency – Brighton Kemptown – fell to the Tories in the last election because the Greens and Lib Dems split the left-leaning vote. But only Labour has a realistic chance of winning the seat.”
And it’s signed: “Neighbourly regards, Jessica.”
Green supporters reacted furiously, saying they were “appalled” at the “undemocratic” letters, but Ms Platts appeared baffled when accused of sending them over the weekend.
She told Brighton and Hove News: “I was made aware that a local resident who has volunteered and is supporting my candidacy had taken it upon themselves to write to their neighbours endorsing my campaign.
“This person took this action without the knowledge or consent of myself or my campaign team.
“Whilst I appreciate their support and understand that this was with good intentions, I will be asking them to not put out any further letters.”
Davy Jones quickly accepted the letters were not from Ms Platt’s team, but added: “Potentially it’s against electoral rules so the person needs to be stopped.”
One recipient said on Twitter: “We should all be allowed to vote how we choose; not be targeted because of a poster and told not to vote how we choose.”
Brighton and Hove News has tried to contact Ms Meek but not yet received a response. When we walked along her road on Saturday, the only political posters on display were the two Labour ones in her window.
Kemptown, twinned with Harare.
WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE.
Meek by name but not my nature.
The letter reads very oddly, stilted.
Bit of a non-story/faux outrage incidence? The letter is respectfully worded and the essential point is true – that under our ludicrous electoral system tactical voting has to be worth considering. And both Kemptown and Hove are close races between Labour and Tory. Fact.
The relevant law is the Representation of the People Act 1983, and this stipulates an offence of “Undue Influence”:
(1) A person shall be guilty of a corrupt practice if he is guilty of undue influence.
(2) A person shall be guilty of undue influence—
(a) if he, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, makes use of or threatens to make use of any force, VIOLENCE or restraint, or inflicts or threatens to inflict, by himself or by any other person, any temporal or spiritual injury, damage, harm or loss upon or against any person in order to induce or compel that person to vote or refrain from voting, or on account of that person having voted or refrained from voting; or
(b) if, by abduction, DURESS or any fraudulent device or contrivance, he impedes or prevents [F2, or intends to impede or prevent,] the free exercise of the franchise of an elector or proxy for an elector, or so compels, induces or prevails upon [F3, or intends so to compel, induce or prevail upon,] an elector or proxy for an elector either to vote or to refrain from voting.”
Arguably madame “Jessica” is sailing a bit close to the wind on potentially having complaints of subjecting people to “duress”, “prevailing upon” them as to how to vote.
(see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2/part/II/crossheading/bribery-treating-and-undue-influence for the full blurb)
Thanks for the link. Still fail to see how this lady’s letter is so very different from standard party political propaganda that tries to persuade any of us how to vote – just a bit less glossy and more heartfelt. I think the Greens would be well advised to wind their necks in on this one.
I think there are far worse abuses of the system to worry about, such as filling in other people’s ballot forms, personation at polling stations and so on. For an advanced democracy (allegedly) we have very few safeguards against this kind of thing.
As an aside, the provisions on bribery in your link make interesting reading in view of today’s Conservative announcement about right-to-buy and housing associations. When does a policy pledge become a bribe?
hah, not sure what the case-law precedent is on that one, Chris 🙂 an interesting point though.
Re: “Still fail to see how this lady’s letter is so very different from standard party political propaganda that tries to persuade any of us how to vote – just” – obviously a *candidate* can canvas as much as they like, and any voter can natter away freely in public about politics as much as they like.
I would wager the difference here is that “Jessica” is not a candidate, and she’s intruding into people’s *private* space by stuffing things through their letter boxes, who may not wish to listen to her. That’s where she crosses the line of “undue influence”, I would guess… Although, of course, I am not a lawyer (and proud of it ;))
The difference between a bribe and a policy is very clear:
A bribe is when they use THEIR money to improperly influence voters
A policy is when they use OUR money to improperly etc etc
Did this letter have an “Imprint”, that is Printed and Published by? this is usually printed at the bottom of any such leaflet, letter, handbill, poster etc. If not she couldbe guilty of an offence under Electoral Law.