Election watchdog BAN free croissants plan to urge us to vote Remain
A PLAN to give out free croissants to commuters as they are urged to Remain in the European Union (EU) has been foiled by the election watchdog.
Pro-remain campaigners from "Operation Croissant", a French pro-EU group,
Instead of the delicious French delicacies, commuters at London’s King’s Cross and St Pancras station were given postcards from Parisians encouraging them to stay in the 28-country bloc.
The Electoral Commission said that Operation Croissant, the plan to give out 600 croissants at King's Cross St Pancras, was prohibited under "treating" rules.
The campaigners tried to woo the commuters with postcards
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Its guidelines state: "A person is guilty of treating if either before, during or after a referendum they directly or indirectly give or provide any food, drink, entertainment or provision to corruptly influence any voter to vote or refrain from voting. Treating requires a corrupt intent - it does not apply to ordinary hospitality."
Instead the 600 croissants were donated to homeless shelters.
The postcards that were given out included messages such as "Let us keep together to fight for human rights, such as freedom of movement and freedom of speech" as well as "there are not enough croissants in France to express how much we love you guys".
Another postcard said: “Please don’t leave us alone with the Eurovision Song Contest.”
The campaigners were in London train stations today
Rosa Rankin-Gee, a writer based in Paris, came up with the idea when a British friend said she was not sure which way to vote in the referendum.
The friend sent a photo of her postal vote along with a promise to vote Remain if Ms Rankin-Gee bought her a croissant from Paris.
The plan grew from there, with a whole team working on bringing croissants to 600 people the day before the historic vote on whether Britain should stay in the European Union (EU).
Commuters had to make to with postcards rather than croissants
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Before the Electoral Commission stepped in, Ms Rankin-Gee said that Operation Croissant was not a political statement.
She said: "We are avoiding messages which ask you to vote a certain way. We all are aware of the vitriolic nature of the campaign, and we really want to do something that is stripped of the angry, politicised and divisive campaigning.
"We wanted to do something sweeter."
However, that did not stop the police from getting involved, and contacting the team to let them know they could be breaking the law.
Team Operation Croissant said in a statement: "It was never our aim to buy votes... it was conceived as an act of friendship, proximity and goodwill; an act of breaking bread.
"We are happy to fall on our baguettes and stick to the right side of British law."
With hours to go until the polling stations open, the latest polls show both sides to be neck and neck.