The Lancashire Telegraph reports:

POLICE have launched an investigation into voting at this month’s local elections.

Labour officials have made a complaint about irregularities concerning proxy votes in Hyndburn.

A proxy vote is when votes are placed at the polling station on somebody’s behalf, usually when they are unable to leave the house or are on holiday and have chosen not to vote via post.

Police said they had also launched an investigation into claims constituency MP Graham Jones [Labour, Hyndburn] had intimidated voters.

They said this was not connected with the proxy votes allegations.

In three wards in Hyndburn there were more than fifty proxy votes issued, which is a very high number as the number of proxy votes typically does not get into double figures in such local council wards. As for the allegations against the MP, he denies them.

P.S. Long-time readers may recall Hyndburn Council as one of the ones with an entertaining series of website terms and conditions, especially regarding photocopying and mobile phone access. Endearingly, the website’s terms and conditions are still not fully in the modern world, what with the reference to how all site visitors will incur “telephone charges” for browsing the site.

* Mark Pack is Party President and is the editor of Liberal Democrat Newswire.