Labour Deputy Council Leader suspended over electoral fraud allegation

The Labour Deputy Leader of Hyndburn Council has been suspended after her father reported her to the police for electoral fraud.

UKIP candidate Malcolm Pritchard reported his daughter Clare Pritchard to the council's Returning Officer alleging that she allowed four people who live in a different ward to register at her address, allowing them to vote for her in tomorrow's council election. The Returning Officer called in the police to investigate the allegations and the Labour Party has suspended her membership and removed her as Deputy Leader of the council and from the committees she sits on.