Back in May, Guido wrote on how the Tories had reported then-West Yorkshire Mayoral candidate Tracy Brabin to the police for handing out brownies on the campaign trail – and thereby breaking electoral law by “treating” potential voters. At the time, Brabin claimed she only gave the brownies to staffers, which always seemed a bit suspicious given they had “VOTE LABOUR” printed on the box…
Now it seems Brabin might be in even more trouble. Guido’s taken a look through her declaration of electoral expenses, and not only does it show that she declared nothing for her travel expenses during the whole campaign, which seems impossible, it also looks like she conveniently forgot to declare those brownies as campaign expenses in her returns.
A campaign with no transport expenses is almost impossible, so where is the declaration. Likewise for the brownies, irrespective of whether they were for staffers (or purchased by the local Labour party), they should still appear on her declaration as a benefit in kind. Instead, all that’s listed is an overall staffing figure of £1,749. In law the candidate signs off the expense return, making a false return is a serious matter and lands you in court, just ask Craig Mackinlay. No brownie points for Brabin…
Hat-Tip: Stuart Long
Following Guido’s story that Labour MP and West Yorkshire mayoral candidate Tracy Brabin has been spotted by the LibDems handing out Labour-branded brownies on her campaign trail – in contravention of electoral law – Brabin has now been reported to the police by the Tories. The complaint, submitted by Tory candidate Matt Robinson’s agent and also sent to the returning officer, asks the police to investigate whether “this reaches a threshold” to “constitute an offence of Section 114 of the Representation of the People’s Act 1983″.
The Tories tell Guido: “We knew Labour had nothing to offer the voters of West Yorkshire but resorting to giving away treats in return for campaign support really takes the biscuit”. Brabin will no doubt be irritated by the move, though that’s the way the cookie crumbles…
Read the relevant law in full:
Labour MP and West Yorkshire mayoral candidate Tracy Brabin has raised eyebrows after being spotted handing out brownies on more than one occasion during her current campaign – in contravention of electoral law. The 1983 elections law states no candidate can “treat” voters, and will be guilty of an offence if found to have provided “any meat, drink, entertainment or provision” in any attempt of influencing votes. A UKIP candidate in 2015 made headlines after handing out sausage rolls…
Local LibDem councillor Tom Gordon noted he’s now seen Brabin “out & about with boxes of brownies on them that say ‘Vote Labour’ on them”, asking the West Yorkshire Police whether it would be considered an electoral offence under treating laws.
A separate post from local candidate Kerron Cross saw him thank Brabin for the “vote Labour chocolate brownies” given to him by Brabin that day, which the “whole family loved”
Loving the Vote Labour chocolate brownies we were given by @TracyBrabin today. Whole family loved it. And yes, vote Labour kids.❤️🌹 pic.twitter.com/sQdiDcj2Qk
— Kerron Cross (@KerronCross) April 30, 2021
Might an opposition candidate seek to make headlines by making a formal complaint to the Electoral Commission?
