Rochdale’s Collective Passion to Get Vote Out

Faisal ‘Two Votes’ Rana shows civic spirit

by Brian Bamford

Councillor Rana’s Poster Calls for Honesty & Integrity

MOST people in Rochdale didn’t even bother to vote in the local elections on the 3^rd, May this year.  But not so Labour Councillor Faisal Rana, a resident of Bronte Close in Norden, and until recently also at an address in the Spotland & Falinge ward, who was so keen to cast his vote that he managed to contrive to vote more than once. 
 

Councillor Rana told Sky News last Tuesday that:  ‘I have accepted a police caution for an electoral offence, which relates to me casting separate votes for two different wards in two different 
Constituencies (Spotland and Falinge, and Norden Ward) in the local elections earlier this year.

‘I legally registered my votes by providing my genuine national insurance number, date of birth and addresses and when I received these through the post I thought it would have been OK and that is why they issued me two ballots for two constituencies.

‘I did not realise this was an offence and misinterpreted the rule that says it is possible to vote in two different electoral areas.

‘As soon as this was brought to my attention I went for a voluntary interview at local police station and co-operated with police fully in this regard.’

Voting 'Often' to Uphold Confidence in the Ballot

Northern Voices was tipped-off about a pending complaint to the authorities of possible unorthodox multiple voting in the Rochdale election on the 3^rd, May.  Since then the local police having first hesitated about pursuing the case, have discovered that Councillor Rana had entered into the election spirit by voting more than once.

Last Tuesday, the complainant Carl Faulkner, who stood as an independent candidate against Councillor Rana in Spotland and Falinge, gave the following statement to Northern Voices:

  

‘This is what we have with Labour councillor Faisal Rana, who actually expects people to believe his laughable claim that he mistakenly obtained two votes due to his ignorance of basic electoral law.

‘Labour councillor Faisal Rana did not innocently obtain his fraudulent second vote by “mistake”. Firstly, he purposely selected an address of convenience, where he did not live.  He then wilfully completed the registration process, which if answered honestly, is designed to prevent someone obtaining two votes. He then went on to apply for a postal vote.  At the subsequent election he carefully completed and returned that unlawfully obtained postal vote.

‘I informed the police of my suspicions on the day of the election. At the time, it was made clear to me that it was not something that would be investigated.  It was only because of my persistence that an investigation actually did commence some weeks later.’

Delivering 'HONESTY', 'INTEGRITY', & 'VISION'

Leader of Rochdale council, Labour's Allen Brett, addressing the issue of Councillor Rana told Sky TV:  'It is vital that councillors do all that they can to uphold the integrity of the democratic process.'

Well yes, indeed, and so Councillor Rana ran for Council on a conscientious platform of 'HONESTY, INTEGRITY and VISION', with the forethought, and creative vision to get in early; balloting from different addresses to place his postal votes.

And Labour's imaginative public spirited Councillor Rana is really spoilt for choice when it comes to addresses to claim a vote from, with rows of houses in the Rochdale Borough at his disposal to choose to claim his vote from; as anyone who seeks to cast their eyes over vast list of properties in his Register of Members Interests can see for themselves.

Council Leader Allen Brett is naturally disappointed 'in Councillor Rana's error because [as he says] he is a very talented and hardworking individual who shares our collective passion to improve our borough.'

Kill-joys & Representation of the People Act

The sad thing is that there are kill-joys in our midst who insist on side-constraints of the kind of creative passion promoted by Councillor Rana's inventiveness in spreading the voting habit.  As a consequence Greater Manchester Police gave statement:

'On Monday 13 August 2018 a 51-year-man was cautioned with engaging in an act at an election intending to deprive another of a vote contrary to sections 62A(1) and 168(1) of the Representations of the People Act 1983.'

Alas, the talented Councillor Rana's spirit of expanding the franchise falls foul of the Representations of the People Act 1983', and despite the general war cry of both Councillors Brett and Rana that it was all a dreadful mistake; in law it amounts to 'engaging in an act at an election intending to deprive another of a vote', and this is  'contrary to .... the Representation of the People Act 1983'.  

We politicians can waffle on as much as we want about voting 'often' or even twice 'by error' or 'by mistake', but the key words in the Act are the mens rea of 'intending to deprive'.

Northern Voices approached both Councillor Brett and Councillor Rana on Thursday (16th, August) before publication, Councillor Brett we were told is 'not in the office till Monday', and someone called 'Vicky' in the Council Leader's Office promised somebody called 'Dan' would get back to us, but we're still waiting for enlightenment, and Councillor Rana had a message put on his answer-phone, but 'Reply Came There None!'.

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