Conservative activist found guilty of falsifying a proxy vote application

5.52.00pm GMT Thu 18th Dec 2008

Conservative activist and former Whiteley Parish Councillor John Hall has been found guilty today at Guildford Crown Court on a charge of falsifying a proxy vote application. Whiteley is part of the Winchester City Council area, and is in the new Meon Valley constituency.

Liz Leffman, Liberal Democrat Prospective MP for Meon Valley, said: "The democratic process has been undermined by John Hall's actions and I am very pleased that justice has been done.

"We have been worried for some time that there might be something fishy going in Whiteley. For several years now we have noticed an unusually high number of proxy votes appearing on the list of absent voters, but we have never been able to prove that they were gathered illegally.

At the May 2007 election, the Conservatives maintained majority control of Winchester City Council. The Conservatives only held on to majority control of Winchester City Council because of the result in Whiteley. There were 40 proxy votes , and the Conservative Mike Anthony won by just 19 votes.

Liz Leffman added: "People in Whiteley have been badly let down by the Conservatives, who refuse to do anything about poor road access and the lack of primary school places. The fact that local Conservatives attempted to boost their vote through illegal means will anger Whiteley residents"