DS Forums

 
 

What is the "Tory election fraud" people are tweeting about?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 24-05-2016, 21:07
OLD HIPPY GUY
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: I survived the killzone!
Posts: 18,265
Anyone who bends or breaks election rules ought to feel the full force of the law irrespective of party label and that equally applies to your own beloved Tory party, which as you can see from the post directly above, is deliberately trying to nobble and disrupt a formal police investigation into Tory election spending malpractice.
100% and unreservedly, agree,

I will also point out that, as yet, NO ONE has been found guilty of anything,
therefore everyone being investigated is currently innocent of any wrongdoings.
OLD HIPPY GUY is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 24-05-2016, 21:12
niceguy1966
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 12,489
The Police aren't investigating yet. From you own link:

"Lancashire Police said: "We have received a complaint and we are in the early stages of looking into the matter to establish whether there is anything to substantiate the allegations being made."

The desperation to show that Labour or the SNP are just as bad is overwhelming.
niceguy1966 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-05-2016, 21:31
platelet
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: GL51 0EX
Posts: 14,098
It's also unfortunate that there is a one year time limit for prosecutions under election law which I think ought to be at least three years and preferably the more usual six year limit on prosecutions.
A one year time limit; an Electoral Commission that just sit on their hands doing nothing; and lawyers who drag their heels on releasing the evidence. It's disgusting
platelet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-05-2016, 21:57
RRL
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 987
The Police aren't investigating yet. From you own link:

"Lancashire Police said: "We have received a complaint and we are in the early stages of looking into the matter to establish whether there is anything to substantiate the allegations being made."

The desperation to show that Labour or the SNP are just as bad is overwhelming.
So you didn't read the one that said


Detectives have launched an investigation into shadow minister Cat Smith

?
RRL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-05-2016, 21:59
RRL
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 987
Anyone who bends or breaks election rules ought to feel the full force of the law irrespective of party label and that equally applies to your own beloved Tory party, which as you can see from the post directly above, is deliberately trying to nobble and disrupt a formal police investigation into Tory election spending malpractice.
LOL You really must try harder. The Tory party is not my beloved party as you describe it. I have never voted for them in a General Election, can you say the same ?
RRL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 05:27
rhod
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,835
And there is a difference between a party that has the odd Member that bends the rules and a party that systematically subverts spending limits (including some spectacular amounts) and then tries to obstruct the course of justice like common criminals.
rhod is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 06:04
niceguy1966
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 12,489
So you didn't read the one that said


Detectives have launched an investigation into shadow minister Cat Smith

?
I put more weight on direct quotes by the police in a credible source than editorial by a biased online campaigner.
niceguy1966 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 10:12
nethwen
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
Posts: 19,737
Tories challenge application by Kent police for more time to investigate 2015 Tory expenses in South Thanet http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/new...o-court-96365/

https://twitter.com/MichaelLCrick/st...40997743644672

Tories go to court to try to prevent Kent police having extra time to investigate huge sums they spent in defeating Farage in South Thanet.

https://twitter.com/jonsnowC4/status/735158282889879552

Got something to hide by any chance, Mr Cameron?!
nethwen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 10:37
Doctor_Wibble
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,925
Tories go to court to try to prevent Kent police having extra time to investigate huge sums they spent in defeating Farage in South Thanet.
Sounds like everyone is doing their job! Fraud squad are investigating, need more time, the lawyers for the defence argue against, tune in next week though I don't expect them to be breathing a sigh of relief.

Though at the same time there is the question of why the investigation started so long after the fact and so close to the deadline, and whether this means someone wasn't doing their job in the first place. If the constituencies affected all had names starting with 'Z' I could maybe understand why they weren't spotted earlier.
Doctor_Wibble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 10:38
platelet
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: GL51 0EX
Posts: 14,098
Cat Smith story picked up by mainstream media

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...nding-law.html

https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk...her-cat-smiths
platelet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 10:46
Ethel_Fred
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 33,649
According to the Mail she's under investigation for failing to register expenses for standing still.

Are the kiddies still allowed near machinery?
Ethel_Fred is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 11:41
RRL
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 987
I put more weight on direct quotes by the police in a credible source than editorial by a biased online campaigner.
Ah so you admit you only choose sources that suit your agenda, at least I gave alternative sources. Oh and that second source said police had confirmed they had launched an investigation.

In the past few days Lancashire Police have received a number of complaints from members of the public, and last night they confirmed that detectives have launched an investigation.
RRL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 11:57
rhod
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,835
Sounds like everyone is doing their job! Fraud squad are investigating, need more time, the lawyers for the defence argue against, tune in next week
I can't recall another time where a UK political party have gone to court to prevent a Police investigation.

They're fishy as ****.
rhod is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 12:03
Doctor_Wibble
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 10,925
I can't recall another time where a UK political party have gone to court to prevent a Police investigation.
Given that it's politics I'd be surprised if it's never happened before - with any luck someone has an 'overall party dodginess' scorecard somewhere...
Doctor_Wibble is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 12:26
niceguy1966
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 12,489
Still stretching a very thin story into something it isn't. The police are looking into whether there is anything to investigate, they haven't yet launched a formal investigation into fraud.

Obviously, it makes for a far better story to pretend the police are investigating fraud than to write that police are deciding if there is anything to investigate or if the claim is totally unfounded.
niceguy1966 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 12:45
Ethel_Fred
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 33,649
Given that it's politics I'd be surprised if it's never happened before - with any luck someone has an 'overall party dodginess' scorecard somewhere...
In the past someone would have a word with the Chief Constable over a game of golf or at the Lodge.
Ethel_Fred is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 19:04
TelevisionUser
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,930
100% and unreservedly, agree,

I will also point out that, as yet, NO ONE has been found guilty of anything,
therefore everyone being investigated is currently innocent of any wrongdoings.
However, it is highly suspicious, to say the least, when for the first time a British political party deploys lawyers to try to stop a formal police investigation into that same party and I sincerely hope that sinister attempt to curtail the investigation completely fails.

Sounds like everyone is doing their job! Fraud squad are investigating, need more time, the lawyers for the defence argue against, tune in next week though I don't expect them to be breathing a sigh of relief.

Though at the same time there is the question of why the investigation started so long after the fact and so close to the deadline, and whether this means someone wasn't doing their job in the first place. If the constituencies affected all had names starting with 'Z' I could maybe understand why they weren't spotted earlier.
To be fair, it took many months for the Channel 4 news team, and Michael Crick in particular, to put all the incoming strands of evidence together that indicated that something was significantly amiss with Conservative expenses declarations hence the late start to the police and Electoral Commission investigations.

LOL You really must try harder. The Tory party is not my beloved party as you describe it. I have never voted for them in a General Election, can you say the same ?
In which case, I stand duly corrected and I therefore unconditionally retract my previous comment. As for me, the current Conservative party is far too harsh and hardline, especially to anyone not in their millionaire set, e.g. ill and disabled people and therefore I cannot vote for them. That said, I wouldn't have a problem voting for a Christian Democrat-type party with a social conscience that acts in the interest of all its citizens but the current Tory party is far removed from that particular concept.
TelevisionUser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-05-2016, 20:22
platelet
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: GL51 0EX
Posts: 14,098
To be fair, it took many months for the Channel 4 news team, and Michael Crick in particular, to put all the incoming strands of evidence together that indicated that something was significantly amiss with Conservative expenses declarations hence the late start to the police and Electoral Commission investigations.
This is what frustrates me the most however. It shouldn't take Channel Four crawling over the evidence. It's the Electoral Commission's job to do that when the returns are submitted not when they get embarrassed by a journalist.

Reading their website there's a key paragraph that stands out to me

The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) sets out rules about:

where political parties and other groups or individuals we regulate can receive funds from
how much they can spend on campaigning at certain elections
transparency in our political system

We work to ensure that people comply with these rules by:

providing advice and guidance to help people understand the rules
receiving, analysing and publishing information about party donations and campaign spending
monitoring how well the rules are being followed
advising governments on changes to the rules and making recommendations for change
dealing with possible breaches of the rules

We take a proportionate approach in making sure that what we do achieves our objectives. We target our resources where they will have the most impact, and avoid unnecessary burdens on those we regulate.
So rather than inconvenience too many MPs, or spend too much effort they appear to just do a bit of spot checking. Combine that with a one year get out of jail free clause and it's just asking for the big parties to take the p.

makes me wonder what their objectives are that they hope to achieve?
platelet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-05-2016, 20:23
clinch
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,626
What financial issues.

http://www.hebdenbridge.co.uk/news/2016/141.html
clinch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-05-2016, 23:39
Jol44
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 20,783
New expenses scandal emerges as Tories fight police in court

As the Conservatives go to court to prevent police investigating its South Thanet election expenses, Channel 4 News reveals fresh evidence of undeclared expenses there, and the scale of the operation

http://www.channel4.com/news/new-exp...olice-in-court

Jol44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-05-2016, 14:37
Bacon&Eggs
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,807
New expenses scandal emerges as Tories fight police in court

As the Conservatives go to court to prevent police investigating its South Thanet election expenses, Channel 4 News reveals fresh evidence of undeclared expenses there, and the scale of the operation

http://www.channel4.com/news/new-exp...olice-in-court

These bus tours - all about happy clappy volunteers enthusing potential voters to get out and vote. In South Thanet you can make a good case for it working too, Farage was only beaten by 2200 votes.

South Thanet is where this scandal becomes easily digestible headline news with a clear victim and clear motive, for potentially illegal actions.

Big day Wednesday. Tory Lawyers vs The Police with a Judge as piggy in the middle.
Bacon&Eggs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-05-2016, 15:39
TelevisionUser
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,930
That looks more like a mixture of bungling, incompetence and internal infighting. That said, if there are transgressions of electoral regulations then that ought to be investigated and result in due punishments.

New expenses scandal emerges as Tories fight police in court

As the Conservatives go to court to prevent police investigating its South Thanet election expenses, Channel 4 News reveals fresh evidence of undeclared expenses there, and the scale of the operation

http://www.channel4.com/news/new-exp...olice-in-court

...and here's the wider picture in all its ingloriousness: http://www.channel4.com/news/election-expenses-exposed

Based on the most recent evidence of dubious practice emerging from the South Thanet constituency, the Conservatives are highly unlikely to win their case because there is prima facie evidence which warrants investigation.
TelevisionUser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-05-2016, 18:26
rhod
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 3,835
Another day, another 'misdeclaration'.

This time, fake Conservative supporters, courtesy of the DWP!


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...n-pose-8076351
rhod is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 30-05-2016, 08:51
clinch
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,626
Another day, another 'misdeclaration'.

This time, fake Conservative supporters, courtesy of the DWP!


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...n-pose-8076351
I can see this is going to grow and grow.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...ctoral-8041095
clinch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 30-05-2016, 13:58
TelevisionUser
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,930
I can't recall another time where a UK political party have gone to court to prevent a Police investigation.

They're fishy as ****.
That matter will be decided this coming Wednesday and on the face of it, there is certainly enough initial evidence, including hotel receipts, for the case to continue: http://www.channel4.com/news/new-exp...olice-in-court

It turns out that there are 18 police investigations now up and down the country into these matters.
TelevisionUser is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 11:41.