A UKIP candidate has been obliged to report to the police for breaking the law on “treating” for providing sausage rolls at an event. Yet Jack Straw at elections in 2005 and 2010 held rallies for the Muslim community in Blackburn at which the Labour Party provided hundreds of voters with full sit down meals, free of charge, and Police refused to take any action – indeed they were protecting the event. This is yet another example of the political elite being above the law.
This is what I posted on this blog seven years ago:
On 24 April 2005, in an election rally in Jack Straw’s Blackburn Constituency, over one hundred Blackburn electors were given a full free meal by the Labour party, with Jack Straw present, having just made an election speech to the lucky partakers of this generosity.
Every reader involved in electoral politics will know that this is a criminal offence under the Representation of the People Act, formally known as “Treating” – the provision of free food and drink to electors in an attempt to influence their vote. Conviction leads to forfeiture of the election, banning from public office and a prison sentence of up to two years.
It is also an offence of strict liability – a candidate is liable even if it was organised by someone else on his behalf. A candidate is viewed in law as responsible for his campaign. But in this instance, Jack Straw was actually present.
There was no shortage of witnesses – protestors were ringing the hall. The police were actually providing protection for this criminal event, and showed no interest in the fact that the proceeding was illegal. Jack Straw runs Blackburn as a personal fiefdom.
I therefore went to a police station and made a formal complaint. This obliged the police to investigate, and to do them justice, the detectives of Lancashire Police did a very good job, establishing the facts of the incident. They then sent a file to the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Crown Prosecution Service returned the file to Lancashire Police, saying that the offence was “Trivial” and there would be no prosecution. As this was one of the worst examples of large scale electoral treating since it was made a criminal offence in 1832, presumably this means the CPS has decided that the law on treating has fallen into desuetude, and candidates may now provide food and drink to electors.
Or only New Labour ministers?
I have no sympathy for UKIP. But if action is taken against UKIP where none was taken against Jack Straw for an absolutely blatant example, on a far greater scale, of the same offence, then that would be sickening, and yet a further example of the fact that the law is in no sense applied equally in the UK.
Re Nevermind’s feline friend (above)
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Ba’al Zevul
11/04/2015 8:10 pm
Omg Fat Freddy’s Cat!!! I love that strip and I love the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers – thank you, what a nostalgia bite.
J
JSD – by the same artist, 35 years ago:
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How things have changed, eh? (Awww, lighten up, willya, BZ?)
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“I can’t forgive him for suggesting the day after the referendum that a law should be passed outlawing any future Scottish referendums. This was far worse that EVEL as a way of sticking it to the Scots.”
Not only this, but he also introduced a bill that made it illegal for abused children to complain? This was after his brother was accused.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/jack_straw_placed_gagging_order
“But Craig Murray refers in his posting to the Lancashire police investigating the matter.”
Obviously had to go to an outside agency, as the ‘local’ didn’t want to know!
“But how would it be proved that treating was corruptly accepted, given that ballots are secret (supposedly)?”
That’s just it, ‘Treating’ is described as; ‘with the intention to coerce people to vote for you’ – It doesn’t say they have to? It’s about your intentions.
“The full charge sheet is as follows: cash for questions, cash for access (twice), cash for honours, cash for influence (twice), Jowellgate, Peter Watt, Michael Brown, Bernie Ecclestone, Werrittygate, Hunt, Rifkind and Straw. One scandal every 18 months or so”
Did one ever wonder why Straw and Rifkind left so quickly and quietly? It’s come to light Rifkind is a co-director with Chilcot in some ‘secret shell companies’ making illicit transactions from the taxpayer? Would explain the ‘delay’ in his report?
http://atrueindependentscotland.com/bbc-handed-explosive-evidence-of-massive-corruption-that-is-set-topple-the-british-establishment/ All relevant Information now in the hands of the BBC, as of 1st March 2015!