Lib Dems rocked by election scandal after two activists arrested in top target seat
The escalation of a local election row comes just one day after Sir Ed Davey's own run-in with the law.
Two Liberal Democrats have been arrested in one of the party’s top target seats just weeks from the election date.
The party’s Harrogate offices were reportedly raided yesterday by North Yorkshire Police.
Their new party headquarters were only opened two days ago in a grand ribbon-cutting ceremony.
It come after a row with the Green Party in March during the local elections, when the Lib Dems claimed in one leaflet that the Green candidate had stood down.
It's alleged this is a breach of electoral law, which The Elections Act 2022 sets out that it is “an illegal practice to make a false statement of a candidate’s withdrawal in order to promote or procure the election of another candidate”.
The Harrogate Green Party made a formal complaint to both the council and North Yorkshire Police in March, with local candidate Gillian Charters fuming that it was “not enough” that her opponents had claimed the leaflet was printed in error.
At the time a LibDem spokesperson said: “A small number of leaflets were printed in error. We stopped delivering them when we realised our mistake.”
This morning, North Yorkshire Police confirmed that the arrests were made yesterday, issuing a statement that a man in his 60s and a man in his 20s were arrested on Tuesday, June 4 “in connection with an ongoing local election-related investigation”.
“Following questioning, they have been released under investigation while enquiries continue," the force said.
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Last night a LibDem spokesman told the Express: “This relates to a printing mistake during a local council by-election early this year, which we explained at the time”.
It’s not the party’s only run-in with the law over the past 24 hours.
Party leader Sir Ed Davey was fined yesterday for speeding on the M1 near Bedfordshire.
The pious LibDem chief was caught doing 73mph in a 60mph zone near Caddington.
He admitted being behind the wheel when contacted by police in March but forgot to give details of his driving licence when he attempted to pay the Fixed Penalty Notice.
This resulted in a further fine, as well as three points on his licence.
Speaking on a visit yesterday, he said he was sorry adding: "It was on the M1... there was a temporary speed limit... I missed it and I apologised and I paid the fine.”
In a letter to the court, he said failing to provide his licence details had been a "genuine oversight”.
"The only mitigation for failing to provide my licence details was just being super-busy and failing to read the form fully, having already accepted liability and made arrangements for the payment.
"Again, I apologise for that. I would like to add that I am the primary driver in a family of four, with two people who have serious mobility issues.
"My son has a lifelong undiagnosed disability which means he cannot walk - we use a Motability vehicle for him.
"My wife has MS, and walks very slowly with a stick, though she can drive as necessary. Thank you for any mitigation you feel able to show in my case.”
He was handed a £72 fine at Luton Magistrates' Court, with a £28 victim surcharge, and had three points added to his licence.
