Election result may be challenged over administrative errors

The Evening Standard reports:

Andrew Dismore is considering lodging an official petition after losing his Hendon seat by just 106 votes to Tory Matthew Offord.

He claims hundreds of would-be voters were prevented from casting their ballot because of failures by Barnet council to organise the election properly.

Mr Dismore, who has held the seat since 1997, claimed procedural and administrative errors by the council included: people queuing at 9pm being told to leave as they would not get in to vote in time; postal votes arriving late or not being sent, and wrong directions to polling stations being given.

You can read the full story here.

UPDATE:

Labour’s Andrew Dismore who lost his Hendon seat at the May General Election will not mount a legal challenge the result because of “astronomical” costs.

Hendon Labour Party has published a detailed investigation into the allegations that many postal votes in Hendon were not received and long queues outside polling stations meant people were unable to vote…

He added: “Whilst we received very strong legal advice that there were very good grounds for an election petition to challenge the outcome, unfortunately the costs of doing so are astronomical, and it was not possible to raise the enormous funds necessary”. [The Jewish Chronicle]